The New Agent
by G-Town Hoya
Summary: Taking place mid-season 7 a dark and mysterious new profiler joins the BAU under interesting circumstances. Will begin slowly to introduce new character but the story will have a serious case in it later, which will reveal more about our newest brooding BAU agent. Includes the entire *somewhat* original team. Emily/OC pairing. Rated M to be safe.
1. 8 Months

"Why did I allow myself to be talked into this? All I wanted was a nice night in with Sergio" Emily whined into her gin and tonic. The trio had been on a tough case in Delaware and Garcia and JJ wanted to grab some drinks before going home. Emily on the other hand didn't have to worry about relaxing away from the prying eyes of her family, as her home life consisted of an honorary cat that didn't care about her state of mind whatsoever. But the group of girls were friends and per the girl's code she had to join them out for a night on the town. It had also become a side mission for JJ and Garcia to set Emily up with someone.

"Why don't you just call Mick?"

"Probably because that was like 2 years ago and he so wasn't my type."

"How was he not your type" JJ cut in as she giggled into her drink, "he's a hot british guy with a gun, he's everyone's type. Not to mention he was a tall, dark, and handsome, well maybe not super tall but two out of three aint nothing."

"Right Em aint nothing wrong with a little bump and grind. By the way gumdrop when was the last time you got some?"

"Got some? What are we 23? And Mick isn't my type. Accents are overrated and maybe I like blonde haired blue eyed guys that are actually tall."

"Tell us you little vixen" JJ encouraged on, obviously having had too much.

"Calm down my young buttercup, first Emily you are basically saying you want to date JJ" JJ smiled over at Emily who rolled her eyes.

"Yeah too bad she's already taken."

"Theres enough for me to go around hot stuff" JJ winked at Emily.

"Oh god" Emily said as she face palmed.

"Second thou must spill the dirt my little brunette Minx" Garcia said pointing to Emily.

"Spill the dirt? Wow you are drunk, it's spilt the beans Garcia and I'm not doing that."

"Was it yesterday?" JJ pushed on.

"No."

"Ooh what happened yesterday in De-la-ware?" Garcia pressed on as her tongue tried to desperately guide her to the straw in her 4th mojito of the night.

"It's been a while."

"How long is a while Em" JJ asked sincerely.

Looking down at her fingers Emily quietly confessed, "8 months."

"8 MONTHS!" Garcia exclaimed catching the attention of the entire bar.

Flailing her arms up and down panicked Emily tried shushing Garcia, "shut shut Garcia shut up. Sometimes I hate you both."

"Hey what did I do?" JJ asked with her eyes glazed over.

"Yeah you're the one that hasn't had any for 8 months. What the fuck Em get down to it. No wonder you're being such a hard ass, you need take that stick out of your ass and put it in your…"

Emily immediately put her hand over the tech analyst's mouth, knowing where this conversation was heading, "Penelope!"

"Em why don't you just go dance with at least one guy, so far five have hit on you and you've turned them all down."

"Because JJ they were all losers."

"And what if they're not?"

"JJ"

"Em"

"Jennifer"

"Em if you agree to talk to the next guy that comes up I will make sure that Garcia doesn't tell the whole world about the lack of your sexual prowess."

"And how do you think you can do that blondie?" mumbled Garcia over the hand still covering her mouth.

"I found the Morgan files" JJ smirked.

"WHAT?!" Garcia yelled slamming her hands on the table, shocking the bar for the second time that night.

"Yeah I found them, Morgan is chaps, Morgan in a gladiator contraption, Morgan in bike pants, Morgan in some sort of an incomplete scuba suit."

"Garcia?" Emily looked at her red faced friend in shock, and the face wasn't just red from the alcohol.

"Shall I go on Garcia?"

"Yeah Emily I think you should do what JJ said" Garcia said meekly.

"Fine, one guy and then I go home to my true love."

"Deal" Garcia and JJ replied.

Little did they know that their interaction was being watched by a man across the bar. He was wearing a royal blue jacket with pair of black jeans and a black button up shirt which showed a white undershirt peaking through the opened button near the collar. His medium-length auburn hair was messily coiffed and his bright blue eyes were shining as he approached the agent's table.

"You all have raised quite a fuss here" he joked as he walked up to Emily. Garcia started laughing so hard that she almost fell off her chair before the mystery man caught her.

"My hero" she swooned.

"Umm okay, I didn't think I said anything that funny. I worry that you ladies may have had a few too many drinks" he said with a smirk and a friendly tone as he continued, "I'm Alex."

"Penelope Garcia at your service" Garcia said as she stuck out her hand.

"Penelope, I like it, very whimsical."

"And I'm JJ and this is Emily."

"Hi JJ, nice to meet you Emily."

"I only get a 'hi' and she gets a nice to meet you."

"Well, I try to limit myself to 'hi' when I converse with married women."

"Oh yeah the ring" JJ shrugged, she had to admit that Alex was devastatingly handsome.

"You have perfect bone structure" Garcia interrupted.

"Umm thank you I guess."

"You're cheekbones are amazing."

"Thanks Penelope, they're a family heirloom" he joked back.

"So Alex what do you do with your life?" JJ asked as she began elbowing Emily who hadn't been keeping her end of the bargain with Alex.

"I work for the government."

"We all do too" JJ spoke up again as she gave the evil eye to Emily.

"Well I think those are the only jobs available in D.C." he said nervously as he scratched the back of his head. This was awkward he desperately wanted to talk to the brunette with the amazing eyes but she wouldn't say a word to him.

"Our friend Emily really wants to dance" Garcia said as she pushed Emily out of the stool, prompting Alex to catch her.

"No, I'm really clumsy" Emily said shyly as she moved her hands away from Alex's chest. JJ rolled her eyes at Emily's obvious lie.

"Well I think I've already proven that I have good reflexes. Come on I passed the test just one dance and the once drink and I'll never bother you again. Government worker's promise."

"Well now I really don't trust you. I know for a fact that government never keeps its promises."

"To be fair, that's why I made it" he whispered into her ear. As Emily felt his hot breath dance across her neck she thought that maybe a dance couldn't do any harm.

"Okay" she said as she took his hand and led him onto the dance floor.

"God they are hot together" Penelope sighed as she watched the two dancing closely.

"Tell me about it" JJ remarked as she watched Alex's hands move across Emily's back.

_Oh god my head,_ Emily thought to herself as she moved to get up to get some aspirin only to find herself with a weight over her. She looked down to find a muscular forearm across her stomach and realized she didn't go home alone last night, in fact she didn't go home at all. She looked at the clock whose red numbers flashed 5:55 and quickly mumbled, "fuck." She needed to be up in 5 minutes and in the shower, preferably at her own apartment so she didn't have to do the walk of shame at work. Emily gingerly got our of the bed, careful not rouse Alex. _Should I leave a note? Fuck it, I suck at relationships anyway. _She looked around the bedroom of the very nice apartment, picking up her clothes. She was missing her bra but could not find it anywhere. She walked out of the living room and into the hallway outside the apartment and found it, she was mortified. With the door halfway open she checked her purse to make sure she had everything, trying to stuff her bra into the small bag. _Oh my god this is so horrifying. _After completing her mission she ran out the door and onto a quiet Georgetown street. After walking a little further she finally found a cab and rolled her eyes as he smirked at her appearance. After arriving home she jumped into the shower with a cup of coffee hoping to save time. It was a bad decision as the water from the shower kept getting into her coffee diluting it's strength.

Exiting the shower Emily was horrified to see the condition of her neck. "Shit!" she yelled as she noticed three hickies on the right side of her neck. The sight brought a slight smile of the night before, which she quickly replaced with a scorn when she wondered what she could do to hide them. Her pale skin made it nearly impossible to hide them with makeup, so despite the 80 degree weather she would be wearing a turtleneck. _Fuck me, well actually Prentiss that's why you in this predicament to begin with. But then again, there are worse problems to have. _She quickly dressed in a pair of charcoal grey dress pants and a red turtleneck as she finished getting ready and headed out to work, downing more coffee and praying her asprin would kick in soon.

Emily arrived to work 5 minutes early, only to find JJ sitting on her desk.

"Hi JJ" Emily said with a smile plastered on her Prentiss face (trademarked by Garcia).

"Don't 'hi' me. Whatever did happen to you last night?"

"What do you mean?"

"Last night when Pen and I left you were still talking and drinking with Alex."

"And?"

"And what happened?"

"Nothing we talked and I went home."

"You did did you?" JJ said with one eyebrow raised.

"I did."

"Did he walk you home?"

"No."

"Did you take a cab?"

"Yes."

"What time did you get home?"

"1ish."

"Really because we left the bar at 1:45 and you were still talking to Alex."

"I said ish."

"Hmm, what's with the turtleneck."

"I'm cold."

"Really?"

"Yes, maybe I'm catching something."

JJ just nodded her head and feigned like she was walking away, until she quickly turned around and pulled the turtleneck down to examine Emily's neck. A big grin went across her face as Emily tried to fix her shirt. "Now Emily what was that?"

"A bruise?"

"Oh please Em, we both know you didn't fall on your neck. It seems like you were a busy girl last night. So as penance for your deception you have to tell me some details."

"You sound like Garcia."

"I'm married I have to live vicariously through you."

"Live through Garcia."

"No that's way too scary, did she tell you about the KFC role play with Kevin?"

"Finger-licking good? Sadly yes" Emily said as she shuddered.

"That is my point so just tell me, how was it?"

"Good."

"Good good or eh good."

"Good good."

"Oh, how many times did you?"

"Times did I what?" Emily said as she blushed.

"I was going to say do it but your response tells me that you were thinking of something else" JJ smiled again as she nudged Emily's ribs. "But really Emily how busy were you last night?"

"We did it 3 times and that's all I'm saying so get out of here" Emily said as she pushed JJ towards her office.

"Okay fine. But really Em, I'm happy for you."

"Thanks" as Emily smiled at JJ Hotch hurriedly walked through.

"Conference room now" he almost growled. Emily turned around to see Reid and Morgan rushing to follow Hotch with Garcia close behind. Emily looked up to Rossi who was leaving his office and just shrugged. _What was going on_?

Hotch quickly began as soon as everyone entered into the conference, not even waiting for Garcia to sit down. "I spoke to Strauss late last night and it appears that our Section Chief is less than thrilled about the manner in which we have been closing cases when hostages are involved."

"What?" Morgan exclaimed to Hotch as he shifted around in his chair.

"Can I please continue uninterrupted? I'm not thrilled about this either but Strauss has transferred in a new team member already. That's why this meeting is so rushed, Strauss told him to be here at 7:30. So far all I know is that Edward Vanderbilt is transferring from the Hostage Negotiation Unit from the FBI's critical response team. Strauss said that he has an impeccable record."

"I can find more on him sir" Garcia responded with a twinkle in her eye. _Fresh meat _she thought.

"That's fine."

"Rossi literally wrote the book on hostage negotiation why is Vanderbilt coming here? Does he even have experience in investigation?" Reid asked in a shockingly bitter manner.

"I don't know, this was not my decision but we need to remember that this is Strauss so don't trust Vanderbilt but also be careful to make he doesn't know that."

The team nodded as a figure approached the door. He was tall, about 6'2" and was wearing brown shoes with a grey checked suit, white shirt, and black tie. Emily sunk lower in her seat as she noticed those familiar blue eyes lock with hers. Garcia and JJ gave each other an excited look as Alex stretched out his hand to Hotch.

"Agent Hotcher nice to meet you, I'm sorry for inconvenience this may have caused you. I'm agent Vanderbilt but everyone can feel free to call me Alex." Alex winked at Emily who just wanted the earth the swallow her alive. _What I have I done to deserve this _she pondered as Garcia started bouncing around in her chair. She turned to whisper/squeal to JJ, "OMG they're going to get married. I call it." JJ chuckled as she looked at her mortified friend and grinning lover. He was even better looking in the light of day she thought as she smiled to herself. _This is going to be an interesting day._

"You said your name was Alex but Hotch clearly stated your name was Edward" Reid spoke up on the other side of a shocked Emily.

"Well my I share my name with my father and grandfather. Grandfather went by Edward, dad goes by Ted, and I go by my middle name. You could also call me Tripp but it's more a personal nickname than a professional one."

"I like Tripp for outside work" Rossi spoke up as he wondered what happened between Emily and the new agent.

"Agent Vanderbilt I was hoping Strauss would be more receptive to this idea but since you're here I thought I would suggest you take some profiling classes and profiler's exam before you join us for the next case. JJ, Agent Jareau, will brief you on our protocols. If a new case comes in within the next week I would suggest you stay behind and assist Agent Garcia while you adjust."

"Okay, we've met before so I look forward to it" Alex said with a genuine smile. Emily looked at his shining clear true blue eyes and quickly looked away. She couldn't get lost in them right now in front of everyone else.

_How are those eyes even possible? I would ask Reid if it wouldn't be so painfully obvious. Reid is oblivious but not that oblivious._

"In that case you're all dismissed, Agent Vanderbilt meet me in my office in 20 minutes and we can talk some more about getting you set up."

Everyone nodded and left but Alex stopped Emily before she had a chance to walk out of the conference room.

"Not at work" Emily said in a short tone.

"You never said you were an FBI agent."

"Neither did you."

"I thought you would think I was lying."

"Sure."

"You used me for body" he said leaning against the door frame.

"Please" Emily said rolling her eyes as she waved him off. "Your body is at best an 8."

"An 8?! I have abs though."

"Yeah but you're a little slim. I would say your body is at best an 8."

"Fine, I'll take it but this gives me the right to rate your body and I think yours is a 10."

"Shut up."

"I mean it."

"You were drunk."

"Emily why can't you accept how beautiful you are? You're a 10 deal with it. So together we average out to be a 9. We could be Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie of the BAU. Why would you ever want to lose out on that?" He said with an adorable charming grin. Emily couldn't help but smile.

"You know celebrity gossip" she teased.

"You're changing the subject."

"Which was?"

"The fact that you took advantage of me. I was drunk and vulnerable and was being sexually harassed by Agent Garcia and you used me and then throw me away after you had your fun" Alex said with another playful smirk, running his hands through his perfectly coiffed hair.

"I did not."

"I don't like to chase women but here I am. Oh Emily the things that you do to me" he said as he started scratching his scruff to cover another smile.

"Whatever."

"I joined the BAU for you. Risked life and limb so maybe the mysterious Emily from the bar would go out with me."

"Strauss put you here."

"True but only to gain a political favor from my father. Why, I do not know. I was going to demand to transfer out but now I've found a reason to stay."

"You're father is Secretary of Treasury Ted Vanderbilt Jr.?"

"We're only related though marriage."

"Cute."

As Emily tried leaving again Alex once again blocked the doorway, standing with his arms crossed. "Really, what happened to you last night. I thought we had fun."

"We did."

"And?"

"And it ended."

"Well, darling all good things must come to and end." Alex winked at her, "See what I did there."

"How do you know it was good."

"Whatever are you implying Miss Prentiss?"

"I could have faked it."

Alex faked clutched his heart, "How dare you! Were you though? If you were I am going to cry right here in the middle of the BAU and then get fired from my new job. Then I'll have to work for my father. Do you really want that on your conscience? Surely the only child of Ambassador Prentiss would know the perils of a political family."

"How do you know my mother?"

"Please, now you're being ridiculous."

"Anyway this is my job so your feelings about whatever last night was are not my problem."

"You are a cruel woman, but I like that. I will wear you down eventually. But really, I know I joke around a lot and maybe I'm a cocky bastard but I really like you. Give me a chance" Alex rambled looking into Emily's dark eyes.

"Alex, I have to get back to work."

"Okay" Alex nodded as he looked at floor, moved out of the way, and walked up to the catwalk to wait around for Hotch.

Emily felt bad for how she treated Alex but this was work. They worked together now, it was against policy and she didn't want anything to effect the team dynamic. But she hated that she really did like Alex. He was incredibly handsome, charming, funny, but also sweet and caring. And he understood her job. But she could not just break policy. Could she?

JJ observed Alex walking into Hotch's office and was shocked to hear Hotch actually laugh. A few seconds later she picked up a phone call from Garcia.

"My lair now, don't bring our raven haired super spy."

JJ walked down to Garcia's office and found Garcia sitting in her chair facing the door.

"So I did a thing."

"What did you do?"

"I hacked Alex's personnel files."

"Garcia" JJ said as she rolled her eyes. If she was honest this was tame for her.

"I know but I had to know and I have to say that he's perfect for Emily."

"I know he is but Em hasn't been in a relationship in forever. I think the whole Doyle thing really messed with her. But I think he could be good for her, what did you find?"

"Okay so Alex is Edward Alexander Vanderbilt III. He was born May 25, 1978 at Cornell Hospital in New York City the son of former Democratic New York Congressman and current Secretary of the Treasury Ted Vanderbilt Jr. And is family is super rich and connected, like Emily Prentiss level connected. His Paternal grandparents Edward A. Vanderbilt and Catherine Hay Whitney are the children of Ambassador John Hay Whitney and businessman Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt."

"Like Vanderbilt the Vanderbilts?"

"Yes goldilocks, his mother is Allison "Ally" Cecila Montgomery, who is also from New York City, a noted philanthropist, and the daughter of a high powered corporate attorney. Alex is an only child, like Emily, and grew up on the upper east side of Manhattan attending Colleigate until his parents sent him to The Dragon School at age 7 and St. Paul's boarding school for high school and then get this he attended Yale.

"Like Emily, that's good. She loves Yale."

"Yeah, he's a 3rd generation student. Anyway after graduating in 1999 he began working for the State Department in various Embassies oversees and then was recruited into the CIA. This is where most of his work history goes cold."

"You're treating him like an unsub Garcia. This is a total invasion of privacy."

"He also played soccer and rowed crew in college."

"Continue."

"Okay so after a year in Central and South America all I have is that he did some black ops missions in the Middle East until 2010 when he joined a joint CIA-FBI task force targeting terror cells and then put in an transfer for the critical response team with the Bureau because of his pervious hostage negation training."

"So he speaks a lot of languages like Em then?"

"Yeah Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, Farsi, Spanish, and French but that's besides the point" Garcia said, suddenly getting serious. "Emily, she's been through a lot lately with the Doyle thing and coming back and I know that she struggles sometimes and I just wonder. I think this guy is perfect on paper, but is this the guy for her? I mean he seems super sweet and I like him a lot but maybe he's just too Prentiss for Prentiss."

"Well we really can't make those choices for her Pen, to be honest we kind of violated their privacy by just doing this. And don't tell Emily any of this, it'll just freak her out."

"It's just that they work together now and…well never mind."

"What?"

"It's complicated."

"Just tell me Garcia."

"Okay but listen, the stuff I told you could be pretty much be found in an online search but this is FBI personal file knowledge only okay? Well, Alex's official title isn't like the rest of you, SSA Vanderbilt, he's a SAC and technically ranks above Hotch."

"So Strauss might have brought him in to replace Hotch."

"Do we really want Emily involved in that."

JJ slumped into an extra chair in Garcia's office and pinched the bridge of her nose, "I really wish she hadn't slept with him."

"She did, I KNEW IT!" Garcia squealed.

"Yeah but that's kinda the problem now isn't it? Can you imagine if Hotch lost this job?"

"But Hotch has Rossi and the director helping him doesn't he?"

"I don't know Pen, Emily is always saying about how politicians always make power plays. If Alex's dad is close with the President enough to be in his cabinet, maybe the director would want to support Alex's career for a possible cabinet position. Then I don't know what Rossi could do."

"Well, we shouldn't judge Alex too fast, maybe he'll be like Emily and will turn it down. He does have a record of hating paperwork."

JJ smiled, "Well maybe we have hope then."

JJ left Garcia and walked towards her office to find Alex waiting outside for her. "Hey you could have gone in."

He smiled, "Oh I wouldn't want to invade your privacy" he said and he walked behind her and sat in the chair across the desk from her.

"So the BAU, are you excited?" JJ was going to try to get information out of Alex in any way she could.

"JJ I may not be a profiler but I know people. It's okay you can ask me."

"What do you mean?" JJ said in a faked confused tone.

"I know that Penelope is one of the foremost hackers in the nation, if not the world, and I guessed that she would be curious about the guy who went out with her friend so I'm guessing that you hacked my personnel file."

JJ laughed at her smiling counterpart. "We're the same age by the way."

"Yeah, but that's not what you want to ask me. I get it JJ. Listen I worked with guys who took assignments not to do a good job but to make impressions to rise in the agency. I come from a place where everyone fucks everyone over for a pay grade increase that raises their status. I know that I rank alongside Hotchner and you are probably worried that Strauss wants me to take over Hotchner's job and the truth is she does. The director had picked me for the BAU and Strauss put in a good word with him about me taking over as Unit chief of this team."

"And?"

"And I said no. Maybe if I had earned it I'd consider it but even then, probably not. But I didn't earn it. I earned being here but not Hotch's job. That's what we were talking about. Within the unit under Hotch I am the ranking agent but he's going to be my boss so you can relax."

"Okay then, so what's going on with you and Emily?"

"I don't know, I really like her but she doesn't seem to want to be with me. She smiles around me, like an 'you're so stupid smile' but I don't know where I stand. Anyway before we start on protocol do you have any other questions for me?"

"Soccer?"

"Yeah, you played?"

"In college" JJ's face light up in excitement.

"We should do a group thing, maybe then the team won't be so afraid I'm going to fuck up the dynamic."

"You're not, I promise."

"Rossi is already working an angle is use my parent's summer house for a team building weekend before the weather officially turns."

"You should, they'd like you a lot better."

"I think Emily wouldn't come."

"If it was team building she would have to."

Alex's face lit up as he smiled to JJ, "Oh I like the way you think Jareau."

At the end of the day Alex walked up to his car to find Emily waiting for him.

"Hey you."

"Hey Alex, I wanted to apologize for this morning."

"Which part leaving me in bed or looking like you wanted to shoot me in the conference room?"

Emily laughed, "I guess both, I was just shocked. I don't do well at relationships and when you were there..."

"It was strange I get it. To be honest I find you endearing. I get it about the dating thing too, with the job we have it's not easy to explain phone calls in the middle of the night or brainstorming about violence or the days when you just can't talk about how your day was. But I really like you and I think for the good of your health and in the interest of national security you should go out with me on a real date."

"I don't know Alex, my life is so complicated and I had a weird year" Emily stated as her arms rested around her body.

"Just dinner and a movie, nothing can be as awkward as this morning" Alex said with a twinkle in his eyes and a boyish grin.

"One date but I pick the place and you're buying."

"I would never think of it any other way Prentiss."


	2. Analyzing Alex

4 weeks later

The team had only been called for one case since Alex joined and Rossi had dubiously convinced the team, and Alex, to take a trip to Osterville in Cape Cod to stay at Alex's parent's beach house. Jack already had a sleepover planned and Henry caught a cold, prompting Will to stay with him so it was just the team headed down to the cape. Unable to take the jet for "personal use" and unwilling to drive the entire way the team decided to take a commercial flight. In one row Alex sat between JJ and Reid and in the other Garcia sat with Morgan and Emily. Rossi and Hotch were set to fly up first class the next day, with Rossi paying for his ticked and Hotch earning a free bump up to first class on a later flight. Even though Emily and Alex could afford the first class fair easily they decided to be team players. Things were weird for Alex and Emily, not because they weren't together but because they were. Ever since that first night they had started dating each other exclusively and Emily had really wanted to sit next to Alex on the flight up but worried that any extra touching might lead the team of profilers to discover the truth. Alex didn't care about hiding their relationship but Emily wanted privacy and to hide from Strauss for as long as possible. Alex completely understood that they were both on thin ice with Strauss and supported the decision.

Emily had felt bad at telling JJ and Garcia that her and Alex were just trying to be friends, but she needed time to herself figuring out how to be with someone. She was used to being alone. Once again Alex seemed to get that and that what was made their relationship so easy. They had a lot in common, but as a result they really knew how to push each when they were fighting. After arriving in Cape Cod the team oohed and awed at the white 2 story cape cod style house set right on the beach. The property also had a fire pit, dock, pool, and open grassy area out front. The home had been purchased by Alex's parents in the early 1970's and was built in the 1920's. As a result it had a certain charm and was comfortably decorated.

"Oh my god I am in love with this house" Garcia exclaimed.

"Damn Alex nice pad" Morgan added.

"Thanks, it's my parents so make sure you don't break anything or else I'll never hear the end of it" as soon as Alex finished Garcia had broken a crystal starfish on the mantle.

"I'm so sorry, I'll buy you another one."

Alex waved her off, "It's fine, let's just try to limit it to one broken household item per person okay?" he said while laughing.

"How many rooms does it have Alex?" Reid inquired while staring around the large home.

"Well one is my father's study and I'm still terrified to go in there and my parents asked that we also not enter their room. I'm sorry about all of the restrictions."

"It's fine chickpea, this place looks huge anyway" Garcia said squeezing his shoulder.

"Well there's 7 bedrooms available inside the main house and a loft in the guest house so no one has to share." However, both Emily and Alex wanted to share a room together but how could they explain that? Alex cursed his parents for having such a large home.

"Let's have Rossi take the guest house in case he meets ex-wife number 4 here" Emily joked as she grabbed her bag and headed up the stairs. Reid left the downstairs bedroom for Hotch and the rest followed Emily's lead up the stairs. Garcia noticed how comfortable Emily looked in Alex's house and suppressed every instinct to say something. Her and JJ would talk later. Emily found Alex's childhood bedroom and ended up taking it as her own. Alex walked into his own room and upon seeing Emily unpacking snuck up behind her and put his hands around her waist, whispering "thief" in her ear.

"Shut up" she teased as she hit him with a sweater.

"I miss you."

"Don't be such a baby Vandy."

"Whatever Prent" he joked back as he left the room and headed to the final spare bedroom. Emily loved that the room still smelled like Alex with a hint of beach and his trademark sandalwood soap. _They should bottle this as cologne _she mused as she finished unpacking and headed down to the front yard where everyone else was gathering.

"We should play some soccer" JJ said as she brought out the ball she brought.

"Jay how did you pack that?" Alex asked.

"I have my ways" she winked back to him. "Come on it will be so much fun I'll be one captain and we can pick teams. Alex you'll be the other."

"If we do this we play truth or dare by the fire outside tonight deal?" Garcia added.

"Maybe I should just go out and get groceries."

"Don't worry about it Reid you're my guest, I'll do it after the game while the rest you hang out. Come on it'll be fun."

"Okay" he sighed.

"JJ you pick first" Morgan said.

"Okay I pick Emily"

"WHAT?!" Morgan yelled as Emily and JJ laughed.

"I pick Reid."

"Really?" Reid said with a smile, "I never get picked first."

"Hey soccer is also about angles and judging distance so of course I pick you." Alex said as he patted Reid on the shoulder as he walked over. The rest of the team smiled at the glee on Reid's face.

"JJ can I have Garcia too?" Alex asked with a smile as Garcia squealed.

"Sure preppy we'll take Morgan" Emily replied with a fake huff about the torture of being stuck with Morgan. While Garcia was taunting Morgan and Reid was babbling on about a protractor JJ noticed Emily's nickname for Alex and his immediately smiling at it. _Friends my ass, but he did pick a team really kindly _JJ thought to herself as the friends got ready to play. If she was being honest Alex wasn't just smart, broody, and cocky, he was also really sweet.

JJ was impressed by how good Alex was, but his team was a mess. Reid kept bumping into him when he had the ball and Garcia would run away whenever he tried to pass it to her. Garcia sat in the grass pouting after being hit in the head by a ball Morgan had horribly kicked. It was just a mess. Emily keep teasing Alex and of course Morgan for playing so horribly despite his self-proclaimed "natural athletic ability." JJ hated to admit two things she had learned after the soccer game. Number one being that Alex was just as good, if not better, than her and two she noticed his body when he lifted shirt to wipe the sweat from his forehead. Garcia saw it too and started clapping "abs" and teased JJ as they walked upstairs to the bathrooms for showers for "gawking at Emily's man." After everyone went to get cleaned up, Alex took a quick shower and threw on a white Yale t-shirt, black track pants, and running shoes to go out and grab some supplies for the house. He ran into Emily who was downstairs watching TV in a plain white t-shirt and short khaki shorts. "Hey sassafras when do I get to see you in a bikini?"

"Never."

"What?"

"It's just, I have a giant stake mark."

"Yeah and? Em everyone else already knows and doesn't care. I don't even notice that."

"You're just saying that."

"No normally I'm focused on something else entirely" Alex said as she started tickling Emily on the sofa. "We're not models, we're FBI agents. We have scars that's part of the job. I have marks on my chest but I'm not going to wear a t-shirt when I go into the water."

"Oh please don't" Emily said slipping her hands under Alex's shirt pulling him closer as he started kissing her neck.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours" he seductively whispered into her ear before sucking on her pulse point.

"You're such a perv" she choked out before letting out a moan.

"But I'm your perv" he joked as he moved behind her ears before they were jarred by coughing. "Fuck" he muttered as he turned around relieved to see JJ and not Garcia. The only other decent option in this situation would have been Reid.

"JJ you scared us. Alex was just looking for the remote."

"Em if all your friends kiss you like that then you've been holding out on me." Emily blushed as JJ continued on, "Don't worry about it guys I had a hunch. I'm happy for you and I get trying to keep it quiet."

They both nodded as Alex spoke up, "Hey Jay do you think you could with me to get groceries and stuff. I just, you're, you're a mom."

JJ and Emily both laughed as JJ replied back, "Yeah sure I know I'm the only one who knows how to shop, come on."

"I can come to help."

"You're hopeless Em" Alex chuckled as he kissed her again and whispered, "think about what I said." He softly pulled away and headed towards his parent's car with JJ.

"I like this" he said to JJ driving down the street.

"What?"

"I don't know having work friends, having female friends."

"You didn't have work friends?"

"It was complicated, personal connections were not encouraged."

"And female friends?"

"It's just nice being friends with women I don't want to sleep with. Not to say that you aren't pretty or anything" he started to ramble.

"Alex don't worry I completely understand. You're in a committed relationship with Emily and you only want her; that's a good thing. So when are you going to tell Strauss?"

"We have to prove that we can work with each without letting our emotions get in the way. We're going to need time to prove that. Emily is fairly close with Hotch so I think we'll probably tell him this weekend. He can't fire me when he's staying at my house can he?" He joked again.

Walking through the grocery store aisles JJ couldn't help but giggle again when she saw him stocking up on nothing but cereal and beer. He was such a clueless mess, but she really did like Alex. Later on that night after having ordered pizza, and eagerly awaiting Rossi to come the next day to cook for them, the team started playing the games Garcia picked. First they were to play Analyzing Alex, her own made up game, and then truth or dare.

"So why are, what is Analyzing Alex again Garcia?"

"Yeah Baby girl what is this?"

"Basically we all go around in a circle starting with Emily, Me, You, Reid, and JJ and we get to ask four questions each. And then when we get to Alex he gets to ask any of us one of the questions we gave him. Okay got it? Good. Gumdrop starts."

Emily chuckled to herself as her and Alex had already played this game alone, "Okay Alexander what is your favorite ice cream?"

"Coffee."

"It's my turn yay! Okay Alex How old were you when you lost your virginity?"

Alex spit out his beer, "What? I have to answer that?"

"Yes Pixie-sticks so spill."

"16."

"16?"

"I went to a rural boarding school, there wasn't mush else to do."

"Were you good?"

"You used up your question, next."

"Okay favorite sports team?"

"Red Sox."

The circle groaned at the answer. Reid, Garcia, and Emily groaned because it was about sports and JJ and Morgan groaned because it was about baseball.

"Hey my grandfather was from Boston."

"Hmm favorite element?"

"Mercury, it's the only metal that's liquid at room temperature. That or gold."

"Nerd" coughed JJ and Morgan cut in, "Gold isn't an element."

Reid just shook his head as he said, "Your turn JJ."

"Favorite book?"

"Ulysses by James Joyce."

"Overrated" Emily teased.

"Every answer I give I get heckled about. And sorry I didn't choose the transcendent Slaughterhouse Five as my favorite book" Alex quipped back as he poked Emily. "Now I get to choose. Hmm Penelope Garcia when did you lose your virginity?"

"17."

"Okay preppy favorite movie?"

"It's a tie between Breakfast at Tiffany's and Dog Day Afternoon."

"Why Breakfast at Tiffany's?"

"Because it was my mom's favorite movie and we watched it everyday together when she got sick. She said it made her feel better" Alex shrugged to Emily. Emily remembered Alex telling her about how his mother died of cancer when he was 7 and thought of poor Alex sitting in a hospital bed with his mom, hoping each viewing would make his mom better.

After JJ rubbed his shoulder the silence was interrupted by Garcia asking, "Favorite sex position?"

"GARCIA!" Emily yelled causing Morgan and JJ to snicker. Alex looked like he just wanted to die and Reid looked so confused.

"I command you to answer."

Alex finished his beer in one gulp and replied, "woman on top."

Morgan high-fived Alex as JJ discretely winked to Emily while everyone erupted in laughter.

"Favorite band?"

"Joy Division."

"Favorite sound?"

"Crackling firewood, JJ mind morph. You know what you have to do help me out."

"I got you Lex, have you ever fantasized about a female BAU coworker?" Emily wondered _What the hell they were doing but knew Alex had a plan._

"Yep." Morgan wolf whistled and Alex smiled and said, "I guess it's my turn to ask a question now. Umm Garcia have you ever fantasized about a female BAU coworker?"

Garcia stuttered and turned red as Emily fist bumped Alex. "Alex you broke Garcia" Morgan yelled laughing non-stop.

"Penelope, the rules darling, thou must answer!" Alex laughed sinisterly as he hugged JJ in celebration of their victory.

"I've been set up by a blue-eyed mind morph."

"Your answer please or shall I repeat the question?"

"Yes" Garcia whispered quietly.

"Yes you want the questioned re-asked?" Alex asked feigning ignorance.

"Yes I have fantasized about a BAU lady" Garcia huffed as the laughing began again. There was nothing Alex wanted more than to kiss his girlfriend in celebration of out Garcia-ing Garcia but he knew he couldn't. "Shall we continue?"

"Okay Garcia I believe it was Emily's turn" Alex said smugly confident his girlfriend wouldn't embarrass him until he looked into those chocolate eyes and gulped. He knew it was going to be bad.

"Do you think you could beat me in hand to hand combat?"

"Ooohhh" filled the silence before Alex responded, "Yes."

"When we get back preppy."

"Deal."

"I don't like your odds with Sidney Bristol hot stuff. Anyway I believe I owe you a question. Hmmm, my dearest Alexander ever had a threesome?"

A smile shot across Alex's face, "Yes."

Another question and high-five from Morgan and the game continued. Morgan found out the Alex's all time favorite car was James Dean's Little Bastard, Reid discovered Alex's favorite language was French, and JJ found out his favorite soup was french onion. It was then Alex's turn to ask a question. He turned to Emily and remembering her public challenge asked her, "Emily my darling, have you ever had a threesome?"

Emily choked and started coughing until finally answering in the quietest of voices "Yes."

"Go princess" Morgan yelled as Prentiss snapped back, "it was college."

Alex for his part couldn't hide the huge grin on his face. His girlfriend was awesome he thought as the final round began and he had a final plan in mind.

"Worst way to die?"

"Shark attack."

"Greatest fear?"

"Shark attack."

"Good thing we came to the beach" Emily sarcastically cut in as laugher once again erupted amongst the group.

"Alex name a woman from the BAU sexual fantasies you've had" Morgan asked.

Alex already had a plan for this and Morgan being so caught up in the question didn't realize that Alex had been waiting for JJ to ask all along. He had two truths to tell and he chose the more embarrassing one after looking at Emily. He would never out themselves out to the group like that. "Strauss."

"Strauss?"

"It was a sexual nightmare" Alex confessed with a smile.

After answering Reid that his least favorite word was 'moist' and JJ that his favorite President was Abraham Lincoln he got to ask his final question.

"Garcia I am forever grateful that you got us to play this game because you got to know me better and I got to know you all better as well. So in a final manner in regard to getting to know you better I must ask you the question your and I quote 'chocolate Adonis' asked me." Garcia smacked Morgan as Alex went on, "Penelope, name a woman from the BAU sexual fantasies you've had."

"FINE! It was Prentiss!" Garcia exclaimed as Morgan started laughing again. It was a good night.

"Not me Pen?" JJ joked.

"Sorry girlie but Em's got that dark and mysterious sexy way about her. You my friend are all right" Garcia said as she got up and hugged Alex. "I shall dub you my dark prince" she said kissing him on the cheek. Emily watched with a smile. In a tough situation he had held his own with Garcia, he was part of the team. And she felt she was finally ready to let her friends know the truth about their new friend.

"Well I guess its kinda late for truth or dare but I think we got all we wanted out of tonight" Garcia said as she started reaching down for her sweater that fell in the sand off the chair she was sitting on.

"Wait" Emily spoke up, "I want to ask one truth or dare question." Everyone nodded. "Alex, truth or dare?" She new from the look in his eyes he wouldn't ever chose truth.

"Don't you know me better than this, it's always dare."

"Okay then, I dare you to kiss your girlfriend."

The rest of the group, save for JJ, looked shocked. Morgan wondered who Alex was dating, he did look friendly with JJ. Were her and Will over? Reid was just plain confused and Garcia wondered if Emily was being jealous over the kiss she gave him. Emily would have told her if she was dating Alex. Alex just ran his hands through his hair and went up to Emily holding her face in his hands, kissing her. Once again shocking everyone but JJ. Garcia just squealed, "OH MY GOD YES!" Morgan went out to give then couple a hug and say he was happy for them and Reid did the same. JJ was happy for them and smiled at seeing her friend so content with her boyfriend. Emily never had an easy life, she never complained but despite all of the secular success she didn't have much personal success. She was glad that had changed.

With his arms around his girlfriend's shoulders Alex quietly asked, "Hotch and Rossi tomorrow?"

"Hotch and Rossi tomorrow" Emily smiled as she kissed Alex again and the two headed to his old bedroom together.


	3. Ups and Downs

**Just a quick note, the case in this chapter is NOT the main case of the story. That's later on and helps in revealing Alex's mysterious past.**

**Also I'm glad people like him. Personally, I felt that Emily would NEVER date anyone in the BAU on purpose so a romance for her would have to come about by other means. You'll also get a chance to see Alex and Emily work together in the field later on.**

**Thanks for reading.**

"Alex people will hear us" Emily argued to a determined Alex, who was working on getting her sleeping clothes off.

"And who's fault is that Em? Am I the screamer?" He half asked half moaned into her ear as he took the lobe in his mouth, she moaned at the contact and tried to get a hold of herself.

"Whatever you cursed like sailor" she swatted him away.

"No one is going to hear it's only 7am, no one is going to be awake that early on vacation."

"We are."

"Only because you tortured me all night and I was a good boy. And now I want my reward."

"Alex I am not an object for your amusement" Emily huffed as she got off the bed.

"Baby calm down I didn't mean to objectify you, it's just, you know. You're you and I'm sleeping with you and I know what it's like sleeping with you and I've been waiting a month now but we've been on like 15 dates and I'm dying here. I'm dying here."

"You have no willpower if the North Koreans came here and asked for the nuclear codes in exchange for sex you'd do it in a second."

"Only if it was sex with you" he smirked.

"Charmer. Listen I hate to admit you're right but you are. When I'm with you I'm a screamer and I can't help it and the last thing we want is for Morgan and Garcia to know all the intimate details of our sex life" Emily whispered to her pouting boyfriend. "Plus Hotch will be here in 2 hours and do you really want him to find out about us by hearing us?"

"Two hours though?"

"When I have you I want to take me time with you" Emily husked into Alex's ear.

"Fuck me Em you cannot do that to me! I'm dying here and you're being all hot and stop doing that too!"

"What I am literally doing nothing" Emily replied perplexed but amused by how worked up her boyfriend was over her. He could probably have any woman and he chose her.

"You were biting your lip and when you do that it... Just don't do that!"

"Okay fine" she huffed.

"That too, stop using that tone."

"Well I'm frustrated with you" she shot back.

"I know you are and it's hot! I need to take a shower" Alex said as he stomped into the bathroom across the hall to take a cold shower. _She is an evil woman, good thing I love her. What? LOVE HER? Alex you don't fall in love, especially not only in a month. God why does Emily have to be so Emily? I am in so much trouble with this girl _he thought as a smile crept across his face. Back in her room, well technically Alex's, Emily thought about how patient her boyfriend was being. In theory everyone should still be asleep and she was worked up herself. If they did it in the shower the sound may be distorted, also the bed wouldn't make any noise. Emily quietly shuffled across the hallway to the bathroom where she slipped in. After undressing she surprised Alex and moved to join him the shower. Seeing her Alex immediately tried to stop her, "Emily don't."

"I can't take it anymore either Alex" Emily seductively shot back as she entered the shower and was immediately shocked yelling, "WHAT THE FUCK?!"

Alex moved to change the temperature as he grinned at her, "I was going to tell you the water is freezing cold."

"Why? Ohhh."

"Yeah" Alex replied slightly embarrassed as the bathroom began to fill with steam.

"Well let's remedy this situation shall we. We just have to be quiet."

All Alex could do was nod as he attacked Emily's neck, kissing down her body.

Meanwhile Reid was beginning to stir and decided that 7:30 was a good of time as any to get up. After stretching and grabbing his toiletries he headed to his bathroom and was frustrated when he couldn't get the shower head to flow. Not wanting to take a bath he walked down the hallway to see if the extra bathroom was available. He heard Emily moan "Oh god" and wondered what was going on. He knocked on the door and asked, "Emily you okay? Are you almost done with the shower?" Alex quickly put his hand over Emily's mouth trying to quiet the moaning caused by an orgasm.

"Reid it's me, I think Emily went for a run" he lied as Emily started to focus on running her hands across his back and whispered into his ear, "I need you."

"I thought I heard her yell 'oh god.'"

"Yeah she did outside, I think she found a shell" Alex tried to lie while Emily laughed against his neck.

"I'm surprised I could hear her, but older homes do tend to have less insolation than newer ones. Considering the age of your parent's home…"

"Reid what do you need?!" Alex yelled through the door cutting off the young genius.

"Are you going to be done soon because I wanted to shower?"

"I'm going to be a while, can you just use the shower downstairs?"

"Oh yeah, sure, sorry Alex. You must have gotten pretty dirty then."

"You have no idea" Alex laughed, trying to stifle a curse as Emily bit his shoulder. God this woman was really going to be the death of him.

Reid just shrugged and walked downstairs. Little did he know that a certain blonde technical analyst was observing the entire interaction. "Oh Emily's not taking a run but she is getting a work out" she muttered as she knocked on JJ's door. JJ opened looking half asleep as Garcia waltzed in.

"You're in a good mood."

"Not as good of a mood as Emily will be in" she remarked with a sly grin.

"Why would you say that Pen" JJ said with an equally big grin.

"Oh just because I'm pretty sure she's doing the nasty with Alex in the shower as we speak. Let's go listen."

Moving to grab Garcia's arm, "Pen we can't do that."

"She was moaning 'oh god' Jayje. Do you really not want to hear our Emily getting a little worked up?"

"No, I'm not a perv."

"Fine. You're the worst."

"Sorry, let's get you some coffee."

"Oh Jayje if you really don't want to hear you won't walk by that bathroom."

JJ started laughing as she walked into the hallway towards the stairs only to hear Emily moaning, "Yes baby right there. GOD! Can you do that thing you do with your tongue? God YES!" JJ hurried back into her bedroom with Garcia dying laughing.

"What do you think he does with his tongue?"

"Pen!"

"What? Maybe he could show Kevin."

"Shoot me now" JJ said exasperated. After another 15 minutes she heard the bathroom door open. She and Garcia ran out of the bedroom to catch Emily walk back to her room in a white robe.

"Good morning" she said as she watched Emily blush.

"Good morning" Emily said in her best Agent Prentiss voice.

"Not as good as yours" Garcia shot back with a wink.

"Come on out Alex they know" Emily said with an eye roll as the bathroom door opened again. JJ's and Garcia's mouth went agape as they saw Alex exiting the steamy bathroom adjusting the towel around his waist, which just so happened to show his perfect shirtless form. He was slimmer than Morgan but cut and toned. JJ couldn't help but stare as she turned to Emily with a smile and said, "Fuck you Em." Emily just laughed as Garcia extended her arms towards the sky yelling, "Thank you god." After winking at a perplexed Alex, Garcia firmly said, "nobody tells me chocolate god. I don't need him being jealous over my affections for our new dark prince." Alex just laughed uncomfortably as he made his way to the spare bedroom down the hall to get dressed. As he walked by Garcia he noticed the look in her eyes and got a firm hold on his towel remarking to her, "Don't even think about it." Emily just shrugged as she walked into Alex's bedroom and collapsed on the bed. _It was a very good morning indeed._

"I'm going to remember that body for a long time" Garcia said with an over-exaggerate wink at JJ.

"Garcia, he's our best friend's boyfriend."

"So, you know Emster doesn't care. Did you see his back? And those abs, we shall not mention this to my chocolate god remember" Garcia said poking JJ in the shoulder.

"Fine, by the way did you notice his happy trail?" JJ said as she rubbed her arm.

"Oh you little slut, here I was checking out his arms, abs, back, and yes his tush, but you had your eyes on the goods" Garcia elbowed JJ as JJ started moving her arms up and down to shush Garcia as they moved downstair to the kitchen.

However, the good morning ended early when Alex got a call whilst getting dressed. "Vanderbilt."

"It's Hotch tell the team they have a case."

"I will do that."

"I'll be sending Garcia the address to the airstrip. Rossi and I will be there in an hour so have them leave in 30. Vanderbilt?"

"Yes sir."

"You don't have to call me that Agent, but you won't be joining us on this case."

"Why?"

"You have a profiling exam in three days."

"I can reschedule."

"Do you want to be a profiler Vanderbilt?"

"Sir why are you asking me this" Alex was confused.

"I got the paperwork already, I may soon be your subordinate but I want to be clear that I do not take dishonesty lightly."

"Sir I have no idea what you're referring to."

"You came into my office and promised me that you weren't going to do something like this and then I find out that you went behind my back and leveraged yourself using your family name into a superior position, that if I'm being frank you are not ready for."

"Sir?"

"Tell the team Agent Vanderbilt, take the profiler's exam or not but either way you will not be on this case. Goodbye" Hotch said as he hung up the phone on a shocked Alex. Although he was surprised Alex knew where this may have been coming from. He walked downstairs to find Emily, Morgan, JJ, and Reid. Garcia was nowhere to be found but was probably searching for more shirtless men on the beach he thought. He heard Morgan and Emily bantering.

"So are you still going to ride coach home with us peasants princess?"

"I think so, we've grown quite fond of your peasantry" Emily joked back.

"Hotch called you have a case, he wants you to leave for the airstrip in 30. Garcia should have the address" Alex said coldly.

"You're not going" Emily questioned. She was beginning to get worried, her boyfriend's playful smile was replaced with a vacant stare.

"No, I'm not needed on this case."

"I thought we were going to do that thing today with Rossi and Hotch today."

"It's not a good day." The team was shocked by the cold interaction. Just 8 minutes ago Emily and Alex were joking and looked incredibly close and now Alex couldn't have looked more distant.

"Alex you said…"

"Emily just drop it" Alex begged as he walked away.

"What was that?" A perplexed Morgan asked JJ, who just shook her head. _What WAS that?_

"Hello my pretties, my god who died in here" a perceptive Garcia asked as she entered the room and sensed the tension.

"Princess and the Dark Prince are in a lover's quarrel" Morgan spoke up. Emily just looked towards the stairs and debated whether or not to go after Alex or let him cool off. What the fuck did Hotch do?

"Just 20 minutes ago they were going at in the shower though?"

"GARCIA!" Emily yelled as she walked towards Alex's room.

"I thought Alex said he just got really dirty?" A confused Reid spoke up causing Garcia and Morgan to start laughing uncontrollably. JJ was more focused on what was going on between her best friend and her boyfriend.

"Alex what is going on with you?" Emily firmly asked as she found Alex in his room packing.

"You should pack."

"You should talk to me."

"You only have 30 minutes, you shouldn't waste it on this."

"How is our relationship a waste? God Alex what the hell is going on? You're being a dick!"

"Oh fuck you Emily."

"You just did because you practically begged to and now you're acting like a complete stranger."

"I don't know what's going on but Hotch just asked, no told me, that I was not on the case and called me liar and I have to take care of something."

"Why would he call you liar?"

"Probably because he's a paranoid asshole trying to protect his job."

"Hotch isn't like that."

"Oh please Emily, he obviously is" Alex said as he turned around to face Emily. She could tell he was bothered by something.

"I just don't believe that..."

"Well, I don't care what you believe because at this point it's irrelevant. Now will you please pack so you can leave and I catch a flight to Virginia."

"Whatever Alex quit being so dramatic" Emily said curtly as she walked out and noticed everyone listening to her fight with Alex. At least Reid has the decency to pretend he was examine a sailboat. The team packed up and had Alex drive them to the airport. Needless to say it was the most awkward ride ever. While the rest of the team thanked Alex, Emily just ignored him. She didn't even want to deal with him right then after what he just said about Hotch.

"Hey Em do you want to talk?" JJ discretely asked.

"Maybe when we get to the hotel I'm just so pissed at Alex right now."

"I got that" JJ smirked. A smile lit up Emily's face.

"You must be a profiler."

On the plane Hotch briefed the team, "We're headed to San Francisco where 4 middle aged men and one middle aged woman between the ages of 35-45 were all killed by what local PD consider to be the same unsub. The cause of death is the same with all the victims. All were shot in the head execution style with what looked to be a gun with a silencer due to the fact that six witnesses claimed not to have heard anything despite being between 10-15 meters away from the various crime scenes. They were all shot at home. One victim Gerry Hastings, aged 42, was shot while his family was outside. Their financials are shady at best so Garcia will run point on this as local police think this could be a hit man."

"Oh San Francisco the land of technology my dreamland, I'm so excited!"

"Baby girl we're going there because there's a serial killer."

"Right."

"By the way Hotch why isn't Alex coming with us?" Morgan asked as Emily sent him the Prentiss glare of death, reserved for only the upmost of betrayals.

"Morgan last time I checked I do not need your opinion on how to run my investigations" Hotch growled back with his own glare.

The rest of the plane ride was in uncomfortable silence while everyone tried to focus on their case reports. As the team filtered into the local precinct in San Francisco, Alex walked into a large two story stone colonial house at his family's horse farm/country home in Upperville. He walked into a large study, watching a man who was reading emails off his laptop while sitting in a tufted brown leather chair. The man was in his late 60's, looked to be about 6 feet tall, and had short white hair combed in a side part. He was wearing a blue sweater vest and khaki pants with a crest tie and brown oxford shoes.

"Sir" Alex said as he approached cautiously.

"Edward what a pleasure to see you" the man replied back in a stern tone as he put his computer down and looked up.

"Father have you made any calls recently?" Alex asked firmly.

"Regarding what Edward?"

"My career" Alex said in a sharp tone.

"You mean your job?"

"No father I mean my career."

"Edward what you have now is a job, we are working towards a career for you" Ted Vanderbilt said in the same stern monotone he always used.

"I don't recall asking for your input in my life." Alex was started to get frustrated by his father's avoidance of the conversation.

"So that's why you come all the way out to the country? To complain to me about how I'm trying to help you?"

"You put in a call to make me Deputy Director of the FBI behind my back. I didn't even know until after half of the paperwork was done!" Alex yelled.

"Edward this is a good thing."

"Sir!"

"Deputy Director for 4 years, Director for a few and then Sec of Defense…"

"And what did you promise to get me this job?"

"That's not any of your concern, you needn't worry about it" Secretary Vanderbilt waved him off.

"When are you going to get that this is my life not yours and not to mention the fact that you didn't mind my job" Alex visibly scoffed at the term as he continued on, "when you were using your son being in law enforcement to score you points with the regular voters by convincing them you were one of them"

"Edward" Secretary Vanderbilt's voice got impossibly more stern.

"Why?" Alex asked almost as a hurt little boy.

"Because in this family we have certain responsibilities thrust upon us."

"Is this because I don't want to go into politics? You just can't stomach that you the Secretary of the Treasury, the son of the Senator, the grandson of the Ambassador would have a son that was a lowly FBI agent. That it was your son that broke the line!"

"I had to fix things."

"And why would you think that?"

"Because I know what you did" Secretary Vanderbilt said in a harsh tone as he got up and poured himself a glass of scotch.

"What are you talking about?" Alex said as he started to squirm.

"Damascus" Alex fidgeted even more "and Islamabad, am I correct?" Secretary Vanderbilt watched his son start scratching his head as the nerves began to take over.

"Those files, they're supposed to be sealed" Alex said with a hint of betrayal in his voice. He had tried to repress all of his emotions but he knew his father saw through it.

"Don't be idiotic Edward. I'm one of the President's most trusted advisors. I play golf with him every week. Do you really think I wouldn't be able to get information on my only son. But your little misgivings in the Middle East are not all I was referring to when I said I would fix things. I heard your dating Elizabeth Prentiss' daughter. I'm very proud, she comes from an exceptional family. I'm surprised by your good taste."

"How did you…"

"How did I know? You're my son and you're dating the daughter of a powerful diplomat, it's around town. Which is why you should thank me for the position as you can save Emily from Erin Strauss' chopping block."

"What?"

"Strauss heard about you two and is, or was, going to fire Emily. After her little saga last year it would have been easy with another instance of insubordination. But now I hardly think that Strauss would want to tangled up with her new superior. In fact Edward, I'll let you deal with her however you see fit on your own. Just call the director when you've decided."

Alex had never felt more betrayed before and needed to fix things for Emily. "Stop trying to fix things father, I never wanted your life and I still don't" Alex said as he walked out of the study and out of the home. He got to his car and repeatedly started slamming the door in anger, getting in and placing a phone call to none other to Erin Strauss.

"Okay tomorrow I want Prentiss with Morgan checking out the crime scenes, comb through and see what the LEOs missed. Reid work Garcia on financials. Rossi work with the local detective in finishing the profile and JJ, you and I will interview victim families. Let's go get some sleep, we're short a bedroom so someone will have to share."

"All of us girls can right guys?" Garcia offered.

"Sure" they replied, although all Emily wanted was to be alone. "Hotch can I talk to you?" Emily inquired as she and her boss went to a corner of the room. Hotch shot everyone a glare causing the team to disperse in fear.

"What is it Emily? Is it a tough case for you?" He said with concern in his voice.

"No, it's nothing like that. It's about Alex."

"Right now isn't a good time for that."

"What happened?"

"Why are you so invested in this. Are you involved with Agent Vanderbilt?"

"Yes."

"Emily you should have told me sooner!"

"To be clear it happened before he joined the BAU and we were going to tell you today but I really don't get what's going on."

"Emily, not everyone is like you."

"What does not that mean?" Emily was really getting confused and the confusion coupled with her exhaustion wanted Hotch to just get to the point.

"I really can't say, it's not my place. But I will say that not everyone is like you in that they don't want to capitalize on their family's name to get a promotion" he finished as he walked off.

_What the fuck is going on? _Emily was thoroughly confused and was worried she had become the new Reid of relationships. She needed to call Alex. She got into the waiting SUV with JJ, Morgan, and Garcia and headed to the hotel. Halfway there Garcia asked what everyone had been wondering, "Gumdrop what's going on with you and our newest brooding blue blood?"

Emily sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "I don't know Pen, I'm going to call him when I get to the hotel. I think it's just work."

JJ looked over at her best friend and squeezed her hand. Yes it was about work but she knew it wasn't as simple as Emily let on, everyone knew. The team checked in and it was decided that Emily and JJ would share a bed. While JJ was taking a shower and Garcia was having dinner with Morgan and Reid in their room, Emily called Alex. It was 1am in Quantico and she was both happy and worried that he picked up.

"Em."

"Alex we need to talk. What's going on?"

"It's complicated" he sounded exhausted. Little did Emily know that he had just gotten home from dealing with the wicked witch of the east coast, Erin Strauss.

"Is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"That you used your name to get Hotch's job."

"What the hell are you talking about? I was never given Hotch's job."

"Then what job did you get your daddy to buy for you then?" Emily was pissed by his behavior and even more pissed when he didn't deny that he used his family to score a promotion. For her that was personal. She hated when people used their connections to get jobs they didn't deserve, because of them people thought she only got jobs because of her mother.

"God Emily do you have any idea how stupid you sound?"

"Fuck you Alex. What job was it? Strauss'? I bet it was higher."

"Deputy Director."

Emily replied in a snarky tone, "your father must be so proud."

"I turned it down. You see how stir crazy I am giving lectures and doing paperwork and yet your have the audacity to think that I would take a job where that would be all I was doing?! God Emily do you even know me?"

"I don't know Alex do I?"

"You're being ridiculous."

"Am I? Alex you never talk to me, ever. And I get tired of it. Do you think I like to talk about this stuff? No. But I do because I actually give a shit about you and our relationship."

"Oh I give plenty of shits! I mean, you know what I mean."

"Yeah you're full of shit, most honest thing you've said all day."

"I'm exhausted Emily and I don't want to fight right now. Can we just do this tomorrow."

"There's always going to be a tomorrow with you Alex" Emily sighed.

"Emily just please" he was almost pleading with her. "Be careful tomorrow" were the last words he uttered before he hung up the phone. Emily just sat staring at phone until JJ came out and said, "Come on let's talk."

**I love JJ/Garcia and Morgan/Reid/Garcia moments.**

**Also which parent is worse Ambassador Prentiss or the Secretary?**


	4. You Told Me Not To Call

"So what's the problem?" JJ went on as she sat next to Emily on the edge of the bed.

"Okay well when Alex first started at the BAU he told me that Strauss tried to give him Hotch's job for a political favor."

"I know."

"Garcia?"

"Well she hacked his files and we had a hunch but Alex actually told me himself. He said he wouldn't want the job."

"That's what he told me too, but Hotch said he used his name to move up in the Bureau and I hate when people do that because it cheapens success for those of us who have successful parents and don't exploit that. But he said he turned it down."

"But you believed Hotch and didn't believe him." Emily just shrugged sadly. "Oh Em you are so emotionally retarded. You always choose boyfriend over boss unless you want to sleep with Hotch… and Beth. Then again you do fancy a ménage à trois" JJ joked as Emily started laughing and playfully smacked JJ's arm.

"Shut up."

"Really Emily, do you think he would do that?"

"He hates paperwork so I doubt it."

"So what's your problem then?"

"What do you mean?"

"Emily every relationship has problems, even loving ones. So what's yours with Alex?"

"He doesn't talk to me. I am trying so hard to open up to him and you know hard it is for me but I'm doing it. I told him about everything with Doyle and Rome and Matthew and he never tells me anything." Suddenly getting real quiet she went on, "he has these burns and scars on his chest and he won't talk about them to me and I just feel so…"

**_"_**Exposed."

"Yes! And he knows all these things about me and I know next to nothing about him."

"He's out-Prentissing Prentiss!" JJ starting giggling.

"JJ" Emily said curtly while rolling her eyes at the term.

"Em, every relationship has problems. The question is, are the good times you have with Alex worth these times?"

"I think they are. But I just don't want to deal with this during the case. This is exactly the time to prove to Hotch that our relationship doesn't get in the way of work."

"Okay I think that's good. There's always a tomorrow."

"Yeah" Emily chuckled. "Hey you listened to our fight?"

"Well to be fair I also listened to you having sex."

"Ugh, don't remind me."

"Just to warn you Garcia wants to know what Alex does with his tongue" JJ smirked.

"Oh my god where is Doyle when you need him" Emily was starting to blush.

JJ playfully smacked the back of Emily's head, "Hey not funny."

"Thanks Jayje."

"Don't worry about it. For the record I still like Alex."

"You can have him" Emily said sarcastically.

* * *

The next morning at 3am Garcia was awakened by an alert on her computer. Thinking it could be a hit for a possible suspect she dragged herself out of bed and went to the computer. Adjusting her glasses, and pink fairies pajama top, she was shocked to find what had just posted. "What in the spicy salsa?" she murmured as she read through the file. "WHAT?!"

"Garcia?" Emily muttered as JJ shot out of bed.

"Pen you okay? You get something?" JJ was already hovering over Garcia, who was sitting at the small hotel desk with her laptop.

"Yes and no."

"What do you mean?"

"Both of your shut up!"

"Ignore Emily, Pen talk" JJ said shooting Emily a dirty look, which prompted the brunette to burrow her face into her pillow.

"Okay remember how little miss sunshine over there thought about transferring out and God sent a 2x4 to punish her for leaving me?"

JJ nodded, "Sure."

"Well since then I have an alert set for anytime our BAU team's personnel files are changed. There was a change that just posted at 6am this morning Quantico time, from Strauss."

"Whose file?"

"Alex's."

"Did he get a promotion?"

"The opposite actually, she marked him as having authority issues and recommended that he not be promoted ever in the Bureau. JJ, he can't ever promote outside of the BAU, it's a permanent note in his file. Vandy the elder would have to pull some major strings to fix this. Do you think Emster knows?"

"Is hell frozen over?"

"No."

"Than no."

"Poor Alex, I wonder what he did to piss off the dragon lady."

Actually, he had done quite a lot to piss off the dragon lady.

_Yesterday at 8:45pm_

_"I had a feeling you'd still be here" Alex said as he walked into Strauss' office. He looked like hell. Fighting with his father, Emily, and Hotch was not a good look for him. _

_Strauss immediately knew who was in her office from his smooth voice. She hated that she had to be polite to her new superior. As a result she didn't look up at the source of the intrusion and kept her eyes fixed on her computer. __"Yes, you know what they say."_

_"No rest for the wicked" Alex said with a smirk._

_Strauss' head shot up,"I was going to say the early bird catches the worm."_

_Alex moved to one of the chairs to sit across from Strauss, "I'm not taking the job Ma'am, but I'm also not going to let Emily get fired."_

_"And how are you going to do that?"_

_"My father is already upset with you. I have a feeling that you went to him with your threats against Emily for some power play and he went over your head. You're frustrated with him and I get it. I don't like how he tries to interfere here either but he's never going to stop unless you use your power. Let Emily off the hook. Give me the punishment."_

_"Let me tell you Vanderbilt as wonderful as that sounds Agent Prentiss' escapades last year have left me no choice, considering the final strike she has, excuse me had left."_

_"You already pissed off my father, do you really want Elizabeth Prentiss as an enemy too?"_

_Strauss was starting to get upset with her young challenger, "She'd probably thank me if Emily left his job."_

_"Left maybe? Fired. I doubt it. You discipline me and you get to piss off my father while keeping Elizabeth Prentiss."_

_"For what you've done Edward, sleeping with another agent that you outrank, it's serious. It's more than a suspension, which to be honest is what you're basically on right now with Aaron. Your attitude, with your demeanor, I just don't see someone like you rising in the Bureau. And maybe it's time for that to be noted."_

_"That's up to you ma'am, I'm just a SAC in the BAU" he said getting up from the chair. _

_"Very well then Edward, this will be processed by tomorrow morning."_

_"Goodnight ma'am."_

_"Goodnight Agent, enjoy the rest of your night." As Alex walked out he mentally said goodbye to the rest of 'career.' The thought of his father being furious made a small smile appear on his face, but the idea that he saved Emily's job made him feel exponentially better about fucking up his own. _

Emily gave up trying to sleep and sat up in the bed, "What are you guys doing? Quit trying to be…"

"Em, earth to Emily" JJ waved her hands over her friend's face.

"I got it" she gave a small smile.

"You figured out how Strauss fucked you boyfriend?" Garcia was impressed. How could Emily have figured it out so fast?

"No, I was thinking that our victims are probably corporate spies."

"Oh my god that makes so much sense" JJ agreed as she went to call Hotch.

"What are you saying about Strauss having sex with Alex?!"

"Not literally fucked but like how she fucked his career."

"WHAT?!" Emily stomped over to the cowering Garcia.

"You didn't know" Garcia mumbled, looking to the floor. Maybe it would open up and kill her before Emily did.

"No I didn't. Tell me everything. NOW!"

After filling in Emily on everything she knew, Penelope watched as Emily called up Alex and laid into him.

"Vanderbilt."

"Alex what the hell did you do?" She spoke in a sharp tone.

"What is it now Emily?" He sighed, Alex wasn't phased by her. Part of what made their relationship work, well other than now, was that he, unlike most men, wasn't afraid of Emily Prentiss.

"'It is my recommendation that Agent Vanderbilt not be promoted within the Bureau.' Alex what did you do?"

"I fixed things."

"You fixed things!" She was getting louder.

"I told Strauss about us."

"YOU WHAT?" JJ heard Emily in the hallway and moved towards her room to help diffuse the bomb.

"I had to Emily."

"YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO DISCUSS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH STRAUSS WITHOUT ME BEING THERE!" JJ looked over to a horrified Garcia and mouthed, 'I'm scared.' Garcia just nodded. This would have been entertaining if she was watching it on TV and if she hadn't grown close to Alex. She didn't want him to die, he was too young.

"How about a you're welcome for saving your ass?"

Emily could not believe he just said that, "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Strauss already knew about us and she was going to fire you until I took the heat for you. That's what the fuck I'm talking about."

"Listen to me and listen to me good Edward Alexander Vanderbilt the third, I do not need you to protect me. I don't need you to fix things for me" Emily's voice was incredibly harsh but scarily calm sounding. She had almost turned into a hybrid of Scar from the Lion King mixed in with Elizabeth Prentiss and JJ didn't know what was worse, Elizabeth Prentiss-Emily or yelling senseless Emily.

"Trust me Emily this time you did, especially after the whole Doyle debacle" _Oh no I shouldn't have said that. Please have gone temporarily deaf, _Alex thought/begged.

"You don't get to bring up Doyle to me EVER!" Neither Garcia nor JJ had never seen Emily this mad.

"God Emily you're so ridiculous just say thank you." A_nd the hole just keeps getting bigger _Alex mused to himself as he pulled on his hair.

"I hate that you don't see anything wrong with going behind the back to tell Strauss about us and then doing something drastic that involved MY job without telling me."

"Emily-"

"No, Alex I can't do this now. I might have a lead and I can't think about this clusterfuck of a relationship. Sometimes I wish…" she stopped herself before saying it. But Alex knew what she meant to say and nothing hurt more in his entire life. Not even his father sending him to boarding school across the ocean after the death of his mother at 7. Emily couldn't believe what she just said to him, she felt horrible. "Alex, I'm, let's just talk another time. I have to get to work. Don't call me tonight, we'll talk whenever I get home" she concluded as she ended the call.

"Emily what happened?" Garcia asked genuinely concerned as JJ sat on the edge of their bed.

"I was a bitch, that's what happened" Emily confessed as she walked to take a shower. She didn't know why she was so mad at Alex, it was probably because once again he made her feel like she needed him. She hated that. It terrified her. Even worse he had never shown her that he needed her. Not once. He hadn't even told her about this. In the kitchen of his D.C. apartment Alex just stared at the phone until he got dressed and left in his car.

* * *

Back in San Francisco the team had cracked the case thanks to Emily's stoke of genius. The unsub Nick Tenner was a deranged former engineering prodigy whose company went bankrupt because of corporate espionage that sold HIS research findings for a new drone. He spent his plethora of unemployed time devoted to tracking down and killing corporate spies. It was about 7pm when an arrest was made and around 9pm when a confession was given. The exhausted team was going to head back to the hotel for the night but Hotch pulled Emily aside.

"Emily I want to apologize for the way I acted about Alex" he said sincerely.

Emily shrugged, "You should really apologize to him."

"I will but his phone isn't on. I wanted to tell you that I would support your relationship and defend it to Strauss when the time came, but I heard that had already been cared for" he said with a small smile.

Picking at her nails Emily asked, "Why would he do that though?"

"Because sometimes you make a choice to place the people you care about in your life ahead of anything else. You should feel very lucky that someone wanted to do that for you" he said as he patted her shoulder and ushered the team to the SUVs.

Emily was walking in the hallway of the hotel when she saw him. He was sitting on the floor against the door of her room. He was wearing a pair of black jeans with a grey long-sleeved shirt, an open black leather jacket, and a black and white horizontal striped scarf. His black boots looked scuffed and his hair looked even messier than usual, but he had shaved. She couldn't help but find it adorable. Looking into his tired sad eyes all the anger she felt faded away. He looked like he had been there for hours and considering when they had their last fight he probably had.

She knelt down next to him, "Hey you, what are you doing here?"

"You told me not to call" he simply said.

JJ and Garcia watched the entire interaction as Garcia whispered to JJ, "they're the ultimate BAU love story."

"Hey! What about me and Will?" JJ smacked Garcia across the stomach.

"Sorry pumpkin" she grinned.

Emily took Alex's face into her hands and lightly kissed him as she whispered, "I'm sorry, thank you for doing that for me."

He just looked into her deep brown eyes that were so warm they warmed his soul and knew that he never had felt this way about anyone else before. He took her hands into his own, nervously playing with them as he looked at the floor. "I'm sorry I pushed you away. I should have told you what my father did, I just wanted to fix it so it didn't hurt anyone. But I ended up hurting the only person I never wanted to hurt. And I'm sorry if even for a second I made you feel like I didn't…" he stopped and looked up at her.

"Didn't what baby?" She gently stroked his cheek.

"I'm sorry if I ever made you doubt how much I love you. And I know we've only been dating for what 5 weeks? It's absurd but I am so in love with you Emily Prentiss. And I have never been more scared in my entire life because I know how it feels to be with you and if I lost that feeling… God I'm so bad with words. I'm just so scared and all I want is to be scared. Because this is the best kind of scary I've ever felt. Does that even make sense?"

"I love you too Alex and I'm terrified too. I'm not used to needing someone else."

"Right? It's so..."

"Terrifying" she finished his thought as they both laughed.

"But I do love you, so much. I've never told anyone that before. Aren't I so romantic, telling you on the floor of an airport hotel?" he chuckled as she nuzzled into him.

"You're so perfect I don't even care. I love you even when I hate you" she said with a smirk.

"You're both perfect!" Garcia yelled as JJ covered her face with her hands.

"Way to ruin their moment Garcia."

"I'm sorry but they're just so cute. Look at them" she pointed at them as Alex held out his hand for Emily to get up.

"Hey we're fierce FBI agents" Alex shot back with a smile.

"Sorry guys but she's right, you're adorable."

"Just give in to the peer pressure Alex" Emily joked as she got off the floor.

"Do we need to find other sleeping arrangements?" Garcia inquired with a knowing smile.

"No, I haven't slept well the last few days so I'll probably just sleep. Plus I'm still on D.C. time." Alex said as Emily her wrapped arms around his body with her hands slipping under his jacket, rubbing his back. "I may have to find other travel arrangements though" he said looking down at her.

"No Hotch wants to apologize to you" Emily remarked as she walked over to pick up a room service menu. "You should probably go confess your undying love for him" teased Emily.

"Do you want to come with so we can tell him…you did already didn't you?"

"Oh gumdrop you cunning little minx."

"You're such a cruel woman" Alex said as he started tickling Emily's ribs. "By the way I passed my profiler's test so the only thing I have to do is win in hand-to-hand combat to become an official member of the team."

"I'm so happy for you preppy."

"Thanks E" he replied as he kissed the tip of her nose.

"You guys are so cute I'm getting sick" JJ jokingly complained.

"By the way baby there is no way you're beating me at hand-to-hand" Emily yelled as she walked into the bathroom to shower.

"I also want to do a shoot off with you Jay" Alex turned around to face JJ crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"You don't want to do this my dearest dark prince. I'm the best shot in the FBI."

"I'm sure you were, when I was in the CIA" Alex winked as he stole an almond from her hand and popped it into this mouth before going to out to find Hotch to clear the air.

"Ugh, he's so hot. Sometimes I really hate Emily" Garcia commented to a laughing JJ.

"I'm going to tell Morgan."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Watch me" JJ whispered as she busted out of the room with Garcia running after her.

"JJ you evil wench you know I don't believe in running!" Garcia screamed in the hallway. "Don't listen to her my chocolate thunder! She is full of lies!"

Emily walked out of the bathroom to find the hotel room empty. "This room is like the goddamn Bermuda triangle" she mumbled as she turned on Garcia's laptop to watch Orange is the New Black while waiting for her burger to come. Trying to click out of all the extra open windows she accidentally stumbled across The Morgan Files. "MY EYES!" she shrieked as she slammed the computer closed. "Great, now I need more therapy."

**The Next chapter will have some fun BAU training, mostly involving the younger agents, and then we get into the first real case of the story. Remember Alex used to be CIA black ops so we finally get to "see" some of his skills. **

**More will be revealed about Damascus and Islamabad shortly. I did not forget about that set up. **


	5. The Greatest Argument Ever

**Just tying up some loose ends so we can move towards the new case. This chapter is to help everyone recover from the terrible fights Alex and Emily have had.**

**This is also where Alex and Emily go head to head in hand-to-hand combat. ****Who will win?**

**Thanks for the reviews. **

After having a long talk with Hotch, well technically it was 20 minutes but it was long for a man, Alex headed back to the girl's room. There he found Emily eating a hamburger and JJ looking at a magazine on the bed with Emily. Garcia was nowhere to be found.

"I don't get how you could still eat after seeing the Morgan files."

"Shut up JJ quit reminding me of them, I'm desperately trying to compartmentalize."

"Hey ladies, where's Penelope?"

"Oh you mean the pervy one? She went to make up with Morgan after JJ told him about how she was checking you out all day or something."

"Are they dating?"

Emily and JJ just started laughing as JJ stopped to try to explain Garcia and Morgan to Alex, "No they just have a weird relationship. They flirt nonstop but it never goes anywhere. She has a boyfriend."

"And he's okay with that?"

"He better be" Emily cracked.

"Em you don't, what are your thoughts on Morgan?" Alex asked as he walked over to the computer desk to sit down.

"What do you mean?"

"They flirt all the time but don't worry Alex its nothing" JJ said waving him off.

"JJ!"

"What it's true?"

"I don't flirt with Morgan" Emily sounded defensive.

"Yeah you do, but it's fine. Alex don't worry about it Emily would never sleep with Morgan."

"Eww gross Jayje. Alex, I would never" Emily convincingly said to Alex. That was good enough for him as he dropped the subject.

"So speaking of sleeping Alex where are you going to sleep tonight? They're all booked up" JJ asked as she put her magazine down.

"Reid offered to share a bed with me. Actually so did Penelope" Alex laughed.

"Don't be ridiculous Alex you're going to sleep with me and JJ can sleep with Garcia" Emily concluded.

"Wait just a second here. First of all I already heard you two the other day and that was enough, I don't need to see it too."

"JJ we're just going to sleep, quit being such a perv. We're not exhibitionists and you heard Hotch, he wants to leave at 5am. That's not even enough time too…" Emily put her hand to her mouth, trying to save herself from embarrassment and wishing the words would just go back inside her.

"Oh Emily you lucky girl" JJ cracked as she nudged Emily with her elbow. Watching the conversation unfold Alex wondered if the girls even remembered that he was still in the room. "And second point, I do not want to share a bed with Garcia! She's a cuddler."

"JJ so are too."

"Exactly and it's made for uncomfortable experiences the next morning. Can't I just share with you and Alex."

"What? No JJ that's weird!"

"Well…" Alex interrupted.

"Shut up Alex or I will make you sleep with Reid" Emily firmly said as she threw a pillow at his head, prompting to JJ start laughing. JJ loved seeing her best friend so happy. She got up to call Will as Alex made his way to the bathroom to take a shower before stopping himself.

"I didn't bring any clothes" he said putting his head in his hands as Emily just started laughing.

"You're such a mess" Emily said still laughing. Alex always made her laugh. She loved that about him.

"Should I just wait on the shower?"

"Alex you are not sleeping with me if you smell like airplane. I'm sure Garcia will still take you though" she was loving the dread on his face.

"What do I do then?"

"I don't know ask Reid to borrow some…"

Alex immediately cut her off as JJ entered the room, Will was half asleep when she called and didn't want to talk. "I am not sharing underwear with Reid!" JJ had never been happier that Will was too tired to talk, as she would have missed the beauty that was this argument.

JJ started laughing again with Emily as Emily barely was able to choke out, "there's always Morgan."

"That's even worse than Reid at least with Reid…you know what? I hate you both I'm going to ask Hotch…" Alex stopped Emily before she could interrupt as JJ started laughing even harder, "For the keys to the car so I can go to a store" he said as he left the room, slaming the door behind him.

"I love your boyfriend" JJ said as Emily just nodded.

It took Alex an hour to finally find a 24 hour drug store where he was able to buy some deodorant, underwear, a toothbrush, and two University of Washington t-shirts to wear to bed and the next day. Much to his dismay he didn't get back to the hotel until around 1am. He walked into the room and was happy to find his girlfriend sleeping so peacefully. He went into the bathroom only to find that there were no towels or wash clothes left. He groaned as he was forced to go down to the front desk, again. Finally at 2am Alex crawled into bed and put his arms around Emily, who was sleeping on her side. She nuzzled into him as they heard movement and saw a quick flash.

Alex mumbled into Emily's neck, "Why is Garcia taking pictures of us?"

"She doesn't get boundaries. Let it go and go to bed" she commanded as she drifted back to sleep. She has missed sleeping with Alex, although JJ had cuddled with her most of the trip.

The alarm went off 2 hours later as everyone groaned at the noise. Emily felt bad when she looked over to Alex and noticed how exhausted he looked. She kissed his temple and went to go get dressed. The team was on the plane in an hour and everyone was glad to have Alex with them, even though Alex wasn't much fun and was exhausted. Alex fell asleep on Emily's shoulder while Reid was trying to explain the nuances of universal treaties found in Battlestar Gallatica.

"Emily he fell asleep."

"I know Reid he's exhausted. He didn't get to bed until 2am last night."

"That's not good for his body, in fact…"

"Reid we should probably try to be quiet. Why don't you go over and play chess with Rossi" she directed as Reid left her, Alex, and JJ.

"He's very cute when he sleeps" JJ whispered.

"Stay away from my man Jareau" Emily joked as she went back to reading her book.

Alex awoke again to Garcia taking a picture for her new "Alex being cute" scrapbook.

"You have weird friends" he whispered to Emily.

"Yeah, but you should talk. You said you don't have any friends."

"This is true, which one of us is more pathetic?" Alex asked with a playful grin.

"Speaking of friends" Garcia interrupted, "are we still doing girls night out tonight? You both promised 3 weeks ago."

"Pen I'm so sorry but Will is leaving this afternoon to go to see his mom in New Orleans and I have to watch Henry."

"Can't Will just take him with buttercup?"

"He's going to be gone for 5 days and I don't want to go nine days without seeing him. I haven't seen him for four days already because of the case and our short getaway."

"What about Reid?"

"Hey Reid can you watch Henry tonight?" Alex noticed how hopeful all the women were until Reid spoke up.

"I'm sorry but I'm going to a Star Trek appreciation gala tonight, I already bought the tickets."

"Tickets?" Morgan interrupted with a laugh, "Do not tell me you found a date for this thing because I already know that Emily has a boyfriend."

"Shut up Morgan" Emily scolded as she threw Garcia's pink neck pillow at him.

"I do have a date I'll have you know."

"Way to go Spence."

"Here baby girl" Morgan said, getting up to hand Garcia her neck pillow back. On the way to her row he noticed a grocery bag filled with clothes next to Alex. "Yo Lex what is this?" Derek said picking the bag up.

"My luggage" Alex said in an embarrassed tone as everyone laughed at him.

"I know you didn't go to University of Washington. Did you steal this from a homeless person?" Derek teased.

"Shut up Morgan" Alex shot back with a laugh and he snatched his grocery bag back. Emily liked that he could handle being teased.

Looking over at Emily and remembering seeing the disappointment in those amazing eyes he spoke up again, "Hey JJ I can watch Henry for you."

"Alex I couldn't ask you to do that."

"You aren't, I offered."

"Yeah buttercup he offered."

"Are you sure preppy? Do you even know anything about kids?"

"Yeah, I mean how hard could it be" he said absent-mindedly as JJ got an evil grin. "You could drop him off at my house whenever."

"Alex you have a lot of nice stuff at your place, maybe you should just go to JJ's."

"Hey!" JJ yelled as she swatted at Emily. "I have nice stuff too."

"I want to see Alex's house" Garcia cut in.

"No!" Alex and Emily answered at the same time.

Hotch turned around the watch the interactions between his young team members and smiled at Rossi who said, "He's good for team moral."

"Yeah we'll see how he does in the field though" Hotch said back as he returned to doing paperwork.

* * *

Alex arrived at JJ's house at around 5 to see a small blonde boy eating a piece of cheese pizza through the window. "Hey Jay."

"Hey Alex come in" she said warmly as she ushered him into the house. Alex has never seen a house so comfortable before. All of his homes were pristine and cold. He liked seeing the toys scattered around the living room. After his mother died his houses never looked like a child even lived there. "I'm sorry about the mess. Henry come meet my friend Alex."

"Hi Henry I'm a friend of your mom's and Emily."

"I like aunt Em'ly" he said with a smile.

Alex looked to JJ with a smirk and replied back, "Good taste."

"You can play with me" Henry said as he walked back to eating his pizza.

"I got pizza for you guys, I hope you like it. It's the least I can do. Thank you again and don't worry Henry already had his bath."

"Don't worry about it, but isn't it kind of early for dinner?"

"Alex he's five he has to be in bed by 7:30."

"Oh okay, but why didn't you just put him to sleep and then go out without a baby sitter?"

"Because he's five Alex. He can't stay home alone" she laughed.

Alex scratched the back of his neck and chuckled, "Yeah I forgot, sorry."

"Hey Alex remember how you said you went to Yale?"

"Yeah?" Alex questioned in a confused manner.

"I want to see proof" JJ said with a grin on her face.

Alex started laughing as he looked over at Henry who was smiling, "Okay get out of here. You not wanted, it's boy's night in right Henry?"

"Bye mommy" Henry said as JJ kissed him goodbye.

"Thanks again."

"Hey text me what Emily is wearing" Alex said with a wink as JJ gave him an amused look and walked out the door.

"So Henry what would you like to do for the remainder of the evening?" Alex asked his new friend as he leaned against the counter in JJ's kitchen eating a slice of pizza.

"Play?" Henry said with an adorable smile as Alex chuckled at the little boy.

* * *

JJ walked into Emily's apartment holding a tote bag containing her going out clothes inside. Emily and Garcia were eating Chinese food on Emily's sofa in front of the TV.

"Hey Jayje you can stick your clothes in my room. How did Henry like Alex?"

"I think he liked him, but Alex has no idea what to do with him and it's hilarious."

"Oh I'm sure he's not that bad" Garcia said as she took a sip of beer. "Eww this is terrible, gumdrop I don't get how you can drink this swill. Anyway I'm sure Alex is fine."

"He asked me why I didn't just put Henry to bed first and then go out" JJ said as Emily and Garcia started laughing.

"He asked that?"

"Yeah, he knows less about children than you Em."

"Hey! I'm great with Henry."

"Sure now but at first you didn't know what to do with him. Anyway you can thank me later."

"For what?"

"For letting your boyfriend practice being a father on Henry."

"Woah, calm down there Jayje, we just started dating."

"So what gumdrop you want to be a mom right? And I think it would be a crime against humanity if you did not procreate with that hunk of a man you are dating. You would be depriving the world of a super baby. A baby that would rule over us all…" Garcia trailed off as she sighed.

"You both are insane and you" she said pointing to Garcia, "you sound like Alex."

"What he wants to have a baby with you!" JJ and Garcia both squealed in unison.

"No, but he said we HAD to date each other to be the Brad Pitt and Angelina of the BAU."

"He's so cute" Garcia said clapping.

"Seriously Em, we both know you want to be a mom and you're not getting any younger."

"Hey!" Emily smacked JJ across the arm.

"Sorry gumdrop but she's right, those eggs are expiring. So do you want Alex to plunder your uterus?"

"OH GOD GARCIA!" Emily shrieked horrified. She did not want to talk about this. "Alex and I haven't talked about kids, it's way too early."

"Okay Em we'll drop it but I think you should talk to him about it if that's what you want and if Alex isn't the kind of father you want for your future kids, then maybe it's better to find that out sooner rather than later."

"Okay, so where are we going?"

"Can we just stay in so Alex can get a hold of me if he needs help?"

"I want to go out" Garcia whined.

"Pen, why don't we all go out as a team when Will gets back" JJ said hoping to satisfy Garcia.

"Fine, gumdrop let's go through your movie collection but no Sci-fy garbage."

The women spent the rest of girl's night in watching movies and talking, mostly about Alex. JJ and Garcia really liked him and Emily spent most of the night quietly thinking about what JJ had brought up. She didn't even know if he wanted kids, but he must have liked them if he offered to watch Henry. She shook her head and she went back to watching The Breakfast Club. Garcia kept on saying that Alex was classic Bender and that "her princess" was Molly Ringwald. Emily rolled her eyes so much that night that she was starting to get a headache.

It was about 12am when Garcia, JJ, and Emily got to JJ's house. Garcia had insisted on seeing Alex with Henry so Emily and Alex were going to have to take her home. Walking into the living room JJ found Henry in his pajamas curled up asleep on Alex, who was also asleep and was wearing a crown.

When Garcia saw the scene she squealed in delight yelling, "My ovaries!"

Emily smiled herself when she saw the scene as JJ smacked Garcia of being so loud. Alex was jarred awake but Henry was still asleep on top of him.

"I'm sorry JJ, I put him to sleep but he woke up missing you so we watched Cars, again, and he fell asleep on me." Alex apologized in a soft tone. He hoped JJ wouldn't be mad.

"It's okay he looks happy. The crown?"

"We played evil king and noble prince. I lost the war because Henry was able to travel in time and get a gun like his mommy" Alex said with a chuckle.

"Aww, that's my boy. I guess I'll get him up to bed."

"I don't mind carrying him for you" Alex said as he shifted the little boy in his arms and followed JJ up the stairs. Looking back to Emily as he said, "You look hot babe" with a wink.

"If you don't let that man father your children I will" Garcia said sternly.

"And Morgan?" Emily asked with a smile.

"Please they can be my brother husbands."

Emily just laughed at her ridiculous friend as Alex walked back down the stairs, "JJ threw us out, come on Garcy we'll take you home." He walked up to Emily and whispered in her ear, "and then I want to get reacquainted with you."

After dropping Garcia off Alex and Emily barely got into her apartment before tearing the clothes off each other.

"You're friends messed up our chance at make up sex" Alex breathlessly said.

Emily moaned and he sucked on her pulse point, knowing it was an extra sensitive spot for her. "What are you going to do about that than" she tried to get out.

"I don't know" he said kissing down to her mouth as he slipped his tongue in. Emily somehow pulled him closer and they gasped for air. "Maybe I'll make you mad again and have you forgive me" he said as he continued kissing and nipping down to her clavicle.

"Do it." She was barely able to say as Alex's hands ran up her sides.

"You're apartment smells like garbage" he said as he laughed against the top of her chest.

"Not good enough" she laughed back.

"Umm" Alex struggled. He was never this speechless.

"All of your blood went from your brain to somewhere else" Emily responded back, but if she was honest so was so worked up she couldn't think either.

"Sergio is ugly" Alex quipped as he began kissing further down her body.

"Now you've done it" Emily moaned as she pushed him against the wall and started working on his belt buckle.

Three orgasms later Emily rested her head on Alex's rising chest as she tried to catch her breath. "That was…"

"Amazing" he cut in.

"Yeah, wow."

"How did we, when did we even make it to the bed?"

"I don't know, but my brain is mush. By the way you don't think Sergio is ugly do you?"

"Of course I don't. I didn't mean it, I just wanted to get you worked up."

"That you did" Emily laughed as he started playing with her hand.

"You are so perfect Emily."

"You're not so bad yourself Vandy."

"I can't wait to see you in a Kevlar vest."

"You do realize that often requires a violent serial killer don't you?"

"Yeah, maybe it wasn't the best compliment."

"Hey Alex I wanted to talk to about something."

"Okay, but you could ask me to sell both my kidneys now and I'd probably agree." He said as they both laughed. She shifted around to meet the bright eyes of her boyfriend and smiled.

"Do you like kids?"

"That's a loaded question."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you want to ask me if I like kids to know if I want kids either because you want them or you don't."

"Can you just answer?"

"i don't know much about kids. I don't have nieces or nephews and I was never around them in my work. But I like them. Do you want kids?"

"You know I do. Do you?" Emily asked worried. She knew JJ was right, better get this out now before she got in over her head. She already loved him and she didn't want to go even further down the rabbit hole if they didn't want the same things.

"No, I just don't want kids, I want…I want yours. I know that it's crazy but I don't think I could risk having kids unless they were part of you. I am so scared that I'll be like my father was, is with me. But to have this person that's part of us, I don't know it's different with you. It always has been."

"Charmer" she smiled.

"Are you freaked out by my answer?" He inquired looking nervous as he went back to playing with her hands.

"Not at all" she replied as she kissed him deeply. "I'm really happy because of your answer. Alex I know you love me but sometimes I want you to open up more to me."

"Okay."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure" he replied truthfully.

"Where did you get those scars from on your chest?"

Alex took a deep breathe, "From work. I, you know I was involved in CIA black operations in the Middle East. I was trained to infiltrate terror cells as a bomb maker, but I'm American so I had to prove that I wasn't undercover. They wired a car battery to me and interrogated me for days to break me. I didn't break, but this part of me never went away. I didn't tell you earlier because I didn't want to scare you off."

"But you knew about Doyle, why wouldn't I accept you?"

"It's not about you, it's more about me. I just want to forget and when I talk about it…I don't want to have nightmares around you or anything. It's my issue and I'm sorry that I'm this way" he looked down sadly.

She lifted up his chin with her finger, "Hey, I'm so grateful that you would trust me." Emily kissed him softly as she depend the kiss and positioned herself on top of him. This time sleeping together wasn't from a surge of hormones and desire but it was more than that. It was from a place of intimacy, a sense of closeness that only they shared. The secrets that they only told each other. Only Emily knew that Alex desperately wanted his father to love and be proud of him and that under the confident exterior was someone who just wanted to be accepted. Someone who was afraid that if he wasn't perfect he wouldn't be loved. And only Alex knew about how guilty Emily still felt about compromising herself to sleep with Ian, how hard she was on herself about Matthew's death, and how much she wished she could have protected Declan more.

* * *

"Hey sassafras when we doing out little battle royale?" Alex asked the next morning shirtless eating a bowl of cereal as he leaned against the wall watching Emily trying to get her TV to work.

"Tomorrow? Fuck I need to see the weather channel!"

"Do you think Garcia put a camera in there to watch us?"

"How would she do…thanks a lot Alex now that's all I'm going to worry about. Her and Morgan watching us like a deranged Beavis and Butt-head."

"We can just have sex at my house then, she doesn't know where I live."

"Baby don't be so stupid, it's Garcia. She probably is in your house right now waiting for you" she said throwing the remote down on the floor accepting defeat. "Anyway you should get going, I have to have lunch with the Ambassador today and we both have to get to work in 2 hours for a de-briefing."

"Ohh the Ambassador, I forget how fancy you are" he said as he kissed her forehead and started rummaging around for his clothes.

"Oh please it's not like there's a university named after my family fancy pants" she teased back as she poked him hard in the chest.

Rubbing where she poked him Alex started walking towards the door, "I'm going to leave now before you try to cripple me before our big showdown. Love you E."

"Love you too baby" she called out as she walked towards the shower grateful that everything was so natural in her relationship with Alex.

Alex watched Emily leave the BAU for lunch as Morgan and Reid walked up to him, "Because of your family history I would say that it's a safe guess that Ambassador Prentiss will like Emily dating you. Politically speaking your union would be an exceptional one."

"Yeah and then Princess may dump you because she can't have her mother approving of you" Morgan bantered to Alex who just started laughing.

"Hey Garcia will you date me when Emily dumps me?" Alex called to Garcia who was walking up to the boys.

"Now I'm torn because I hear how talented you are in certain areas" she winked "and you are my little blue blooded Adonis but I also don't want Princess' sloppy seconds. Why is my life so hard?" She mused as she poked Morgan in the side.

"Fine I guess I'll just start dating Rossi then" Alex smirked as he walked towards the kitchen to get some coffee.

JJ, who was heading back from lunch, walked up to Garcia, "Our dark prince is in a good mood, not so broody today."

"Have you seen Emily today? Talk about being in a good mood" JJ remarked to her fellow blonde friend. "You think they talked?" She whispered but Morgan picked up on it.

"Talked about what?"

"Emily getting peanut butter" Garcia cut in awkwardly.

"And this is serious enough to talk about?" Morgan was confused but Reid didn't understand what was so confusing.

"Alex is allergic to peanuts so I could see where this could be a problem. Perhaps he cannot be in her house because she insists on peanut butter and as a result it is interfering with their relationship" he shrugged as he walked away.

"How does Reid know Alex is allergic to peanuts" JJ asked Garcia in a perplexed tone.

"He probably has a crush on him" she giggled as she skipped away to bother Reid some more. JJ just rolled her eyes at her friend's antics and headed back to her office wondering if Alex and Emily talked about 'peanut butter.' She texted Emily to meet her in her office when she got back.

"Hey you wanted to see me" Emily said jovially as she walked into JJ's cluttered office and almost sat on a half-eaten granola bar.

"Yeah did you talk to Alex?'

"About?"

"Don't play dumb with me, about kids."

"JJ, it's private."

"If I hadn't made you dance with Alex you wouldn't even have him, some other slut would so you owe me."

"Hey! You said 'some other slut' implying that I'm a slut."

JJ laughed, "Well with Alex you are. Don't even try to argue Em. Anyway tell me" JJ practically begged.

"He wants the same things as me" Emily lifted her hand to stop JJ as she gasped, "But we have only been dating for 6 weeks. That's it, I haven't met his father, he hasn't met the Ambassador. We don't live together we were just in an enormous fight. Strauss hates us. This discussion is a long way away okay?"

"Fine, but if it happened."

"No, JJ."

"If it did, I want to be a godmother."

"Oh my god you are as bad as Garcia with your delusions" Emily said agitated as she started walking out of the office. "And don't even thing about bringing this up with Alex or I will end you." JJ laughed as her very guarded friend left her office.

* * *

After a case in Ohio it was two weeks later before the team could see Alex's CIA experience first hand at the FBI training center. Morgan played the unsub to Alex's FBI agent and was impressed and mildly irritated that he was able to clear the room perfectly and find where he was hiding. He was so good that he didn't have to "shoot" Morgan to apprehend him, but was able to disarm him using just his hands. Emily was amazed by how fluidly he moved and Reid wanted Alex to teach him a few moves.

"Okay Alex are you sure you want to do this?" JJ asked with a grin that spread across her entire face, "after you did so well with Morgan you must not want to embarrass yourself by losing to me."

"Let's go Jareau" he shot back as she slipped his ear plugs in.

The team, well Emily, Morgan, Reid, and for some reason Garcia, was going to watch JJ's and Alex's target practice. Garcia had a pair of pink pom-poms that she was using to cheer on TEAM BAU, not wanting to cheer on one person over the other.

Alex and JJ were both tied with perfect scores in target practice as they moved on to moving target practice.

"You ready blondie?" Alex said winking at JJ.

"Are you preppy?"

"Hey only Emily can call me that."

"Okay I'll make you a bet, if I win this I get to call you preppy AND you have to answer any question about you I want to ask."

"And when I win?" Alex said with a smile.

"What do you want?"

"Umm, just bragging rights I guess. That and you have to buy me drinks when we go out next."

"Deal" she said as they shook on it and walked towards moving target practice.

JJ and Alex started off with perfect scores until JJ realized that she missed the mark on one of her targets. It had moved to the left almost immediately after it presented itself. She hoped to god that Alex would miss too, but he didn't. He was just too fast, jerking quickly from side to the next hitting every target. It came naturally to him, he was trained to be the best. The instructor walked over to the two who were waiting to hear their scores. JJ thought that Alex must have missed one shot as she noticed the instructor smiling.

"Agent Jareau and…"

"Vanderbilt" Alex introduced itself.

"Nice to meet you Agent Vanderbilt. Are you in the BAU now with Jareau?"

"Yes sir."

"Your team is lucky to have such excellent shots. You must be confident to go up against the unofficial best shot in the FBI" he smirked to JJ. "Well Agent Jareau excellent shooting as usual, you only missed one shot on target 7 which gets everyone. Everyone except Agent Vanderbilt, who hit every single mark" he said smiling as he patted the younger man's shoulder and walked away.

Alex just winked at JJ as the team walked up.

"So whose going to be complaining for a rematch all day?" Morgan asked as he looked at the two newest Profilers.

"I am" JJ admitted to the shock of the entire team. "I missed a shot" she shrugged.

"Number 7?" Emily asked, remembering she also missed that shot and couldn't believe that Alex made it. She was proud of him and would show him later, but she felt bad for JJ.

"Yeah well let's go watch me defeat Morgan and Prentiss and then we can go buy a spud gun and use our skills to shoot up Strauss' house with potatoes." Alex joked as he put his arm around JJ guiding her towards the FBI gym. He didn't want her to feel bad about losing. JJ looked towards Emily and mouthed 'he's a keeper' to her as she smiled. He wasn't a sore winner and she liked that.

"Reid when are you going to get in on this?" Emily, who was wearing a white tank top and grey sweats, asked.

"The probability of me beating you, JJ, Alex, or Morgan is so extremely low that it is pointless for me to even try" he shrugged.

"What about Garcia?" Alex said with a chuckle until Garcia whacked him with a pom-pom. "Jay you joining in?"

"No way I know for sure that Prentiss can kick my ass" she replied to Alex who was stretching. She poked Garcia who was watching him intensely. He was wearing a sleeveless black shirt and black shorts.

"Who do I start with?"

"Morgan, the last 3 times I beat him anyway."

"Shut up Princess I think I was catching something."

"All three times?" JJ asked sarcastically as she joined in on ganging up on Morgan.

"Yeah a case of powder puff fever" she teased.

"Fuck you Prentiss" Morgan laughed as he approached the mat where Alex was standing.

Alex was about an inch taller but Morgan knew he had about 15 pounds of muscle on the kid. Alex walked in a circle around Morgan until he tried to throw a punch and Alex was able to block it. Alex tried to kicked Morgan but pulled back and turned around when he saw Morgan's hand go up. Morgan looked shocked that Alex's foot didn't land and didn't realize that Alex was just testing him, feeling him out. Emily knew it right away and smiled. He was trained well, but she knew she was trained better. Alex realized that Morgan was an aggressive fighter and knew that he could use that to his advantage. Morgan was able to land a hit but Alex doubled around and grabbed Morgan's other hand. Morgan tried to kicked Alex but Alex grabbed Morgan's foot and flipped him onto the mat pinning him. Morgan was shocked that he was defeated so quickly as Reid started laughing.

"Maybe Morgan should have sat out with me too."

JJ started cracking up as she saw Morgan's wounded pride flash across his face. Alex helped Morgan up and Morgan flashed a smile saying, "good thing you're on my team."

"Come here my sexy chocolate dumpling and let me comfort you" Garcia said with outstretched arms.

"I'm fine mama, just didn't realize Vandy over there was a cheater."

"I think you were just mesmerized by my beauty" Alex joked as he looked to Emily, "you look hot."

"Don't even try Vanderbilt, I'm still going to kick your ass" she shot back with a lopsided smirk. "You may be good, but I'm better."

"Oh this should be interesting. You know when we wrestle I always win" he whispered into her ear.

"I thought this was the first time the were doing hand-to-hand combat?" a confused Reid asked JJ who had a look of amusement on her face.

"Oh my boy wonder we gots to get you a girlfriend" Garcia joked and they turned back to watch the couple.

Emily lifted her hand to connect to with Alex's chest, using it to distract and draw him in. When he moved closer she grabbed his other hand and flipped it around to try to bring him to the mat. Alex maneuvered to position her in front of himself to try to flip her over but she elbowed him in the shoulder. He broke his grip on her and as he lifted his leg to kick her knee she grabbed it and flipped him onto the ground. She sat on top of his chest as he smiled.

"Way to go gumdrop!" Garcia cheered to Alex's defeat.

"You beat me" Alex said with a grin. "You're evil" he laughed as she helped him up. He grabbed his back in pain as he looked at the rest of the team cheering for Emily. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"I win" she husked into his ear and she walked away.

"Emily Prentiss you are such a tease." Alex grabbed her waist and pulled her around to kiss her again, murmuring with a smile, "No I did."

"You're getting us all hot and bothered over here my super spy couple of sexy awesomeness."

"Yeah baby girl is right let's go get changed and have a drink."

"Apparently I have to buy a drink for the newest powder puff girl over there" JJ quipped as she high-fived Emily.

"Did I mention how hot you are?" Alex asked as they walked towards the locker rooms.

"Not in the last five minutes" she replied as she pushed him away when he moved to kiss her. "Stop, what if Strauss saw us?"

"I wasn't suggesting for anything to happen here."

"Sure" Emily said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

"I wasn't" Alex said as he brought his hands to his chest and tried his best to look innocent. "I was suggesting that we go have sex on Strauss' desk" he cracked as he walked towards the male showers. Emily couldn't help but laugh as she walked in the other direction.

**Featured case starts in the next chapter along with some bar time for the team. JJ has to pay up sometime. **


	6. Interim

**And the case begins. ****I'm posting two chapters focused on the case today. **

**Thanks again for all the reviews.**

Wearing a brown pinstripe suit with a crisps white shirt Alex arrived at Emily's apartment at around 7:30 still sore from earlier. After hearing knocking on the door Emily shouted, "Come in it's open" to him. He walked through the door and yelled, "you know they still haven't caught Jack the Ripper. You should be more careful."

"If you don't shut up I'm going to make you wait outside" Emily quipped from her bedroom. Alex gingerly sat on Emily's sofa and waited for around five minutes until she came out. "God you beautiful" he remarked as he got up. She was wearing a pair of black skinny jeans, a white sleeveless ruffle shirt, and a light beige leather jacket with a silver bead chain and black pumps.

"Thank you, you look very dashing. I'm going to have to beat Garcia off you" she said as she kissed him passionately.

He smiled, "Yeah well I'm confident you can do that. Ready?"

"Definitely."

Alex and Emily walked hand in hand into the bar where they met the rest of the team, save for JJ and Will who were running late. Hotch was having a beer at a table with Rossi and Reid while Garcia was dancing with Morgan.

"Hi kiddo, hey Alex" Rossi said as he hugged Emily.

"Hey Rossi, hey Hotch, Em what do you want to drink?"

"Long Island iced-tea."

"Anyone need anything else?"

Rossi, Reid, and Hotch all shook their heads 'no' as Alex took off towards the bar. As Alex left Garcia and Morgan came back to the table to greet Emily.

"Hey Princess where's your man?"

"Yeah, where's my dark prince?"

"Over there" Emily pointed over at Alex who was being hit on at the bar by a redheaded twenty year old.

"Ohh look who's a hot commodity here" Garcia joked as she poked Emily in the shoulder. "You look hot by the way."

"Thanks Garcia."

"Hey look at that there's another girl after Alex! Hot damn they are after your man tonight Princess."

Emily frowned, "Isn't it obvious he has two drinks. Those savages!"

Garcia and Morgan laughed at their friend's jealously as Will and JJ walked up to the group.

"Hey guys, what's wrong?"

"Everyone is hitting on Princess' man tonight" Morgan smirked and pointed at Emily watching another woman trying to give him her number before he made his way to the table.

"Hi JJ and you must be Will, I'm Alex" Alex greeted as he put down the drinks and shook Will's hand.

"Nice to meet ya, thanks for watching Henry for us."

"Don't worry about it. He's a great kid, super cute too. Does anyone want a drink?"

"No, you are not going back to the bar" Emily scolded as the rest of the team laughed at Alex's embarrassment.

"Someone is jealous" JJ cracked to Will under her breath.

"Come on Alex, gumdrop, let's dance."

"No can do Garcy someone beat the shit out of me today so there's no dancing for me" he said nodding towards Emily as the rest of the team laughed.

"Aww, but I love watching you two dance."

"Garcia that sounds so creepy" Emily said still chuckling as she remembered handing Alex's ass to him earlier that day.

"Well baby cakes you need to find a way to claim that man so the rest of these little drunk skunks stay away from him" Garcia stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"JJ let's go dance" Will said feeling uncomfortable. JJ nodded and looked apologetically at the rest of the team and mouthed 'bad day' to them as they left.

"Pretty boy dance with Emily" Morgan commanded as Reid slowly walked over from the table. "Agent gimpy here can hang out with the old guys."

"Yeah Vandy you can reel in Rossi's next ex-wife for him" Emily teased as she left with Reid, Morgan, and Garcia.

Alex moved down the table to talk with Rossi and Hotch about real estate prices in D.C. and wanted to die from the boredom. Another woman came up to him and asked him to dance before Hotch said he had to get home.

"Yeah Kiddo do you mind if I get going too? I have a date."

Alex waved him off, "Don't worry about it Rossi, have fun."

"Thanks kid."

After Rossi left a blonde woman came up to Alex, who was alone at the table. "Hi, listen my friend has been literally watching you all night. Come over and meet her."

"Oh, thank you for the offer but I'm seeing someone."

"Oh if you change your mind…"

"I won't" he cut her off.

"Well, where is your so-called girlfriend here then?"

"Dancing."

"Without you?"

"Yeah, have a great night."

Watching the interaction JJ, Emily, Will, and Reid walked back to the table to find a lonely Alex.

"Hey Alex they sure are all over you" Will joked. He was definitely in a better mood than earlier.

"I guess so" he shrugged as he went to kiss Emily. "I'm sorry" he whispered in her ear as she just nodded.

"How many numbers did you get Alex?"

"I don't know Jay" he said in a voice that showed he was trying to sound confused but was too buzzed to pass it off.

"Come on preppy spill."

"Nine."

"You got nine numbers? We've only been here for an hour. JJ is he prettier than me?" Emily asked feigning hurt.

"Actually Emily when considering the facial symmetry of his face Alex is marginally…"

"Shut up Reid" Alex cut him off as he pushed a beer towards him. "Drink that and go talk to the blonde over there."

Everyone at the table started laughing as Morgan and Garcia walked back to the table. "Who's having fun without me?"

"No one is Garcia I swear" Alex said raising his hands up in the air surrendering.

"Well this has been a good night for sure. I already have the digits of five lovely ladies" Morgan bragged.

"Alex got nine" Emily said teasingly.

"WHAT?! You got here after me!"

"Yeah and I didn't even ask for them" Alex joked as he kissed Emily's temple.

"Be honest Alex how many girlfriends have you had?" Morgan asked curiously.

"Four."

"Including our BAU dumpling?" Garcia asked shocked.

"Yeah" Alex shrugged nonchalantly.

"How many girls have you slept with than?" Morgan inquired.

"Morgan!" Emily scolded as she smacked him on the arm.

Will started laughing at the interaction and the team watched as Reid tried talking to the group of girls who has sent Alex a drink earlier. Everyone groaned as JJ answered her phone.

"Jareau. What? Which hospital? We'll be there." JJ hung up the phone and looked at the team, "That was Rossi. Hotch was in a car accident and is at MedStar hospital."

"Oh my god" Garcia replied shocked.

"Okay I'll get us two cabs" Will replied as he walked outside.

"I'll go get Reid" Alex offered.

"Oh no you won't or you'll be going to the hospital for another reason" Emily warned as the team laughed. "JJ can get him." JJ nodded as everyone else went outside. Alex, Morgan, Garcia, and Emily went in one cab while Will waited for JJ and Reid.

"How is he?" Morgan asked Rossi.

"He'll be okay, Alex I need to talk with you." Alex nodded and walked off with Rossi. "Hotch has a slight concussion which is going to be easy to keep under control but the hit jarred his ears. He's had problems with them before and Strauss is having him take at least a 2 week medical leave. This means that you are going to be acting Unit Chief for the duration of Hotch's leave."

"I'm sure that will go over well" Alex replied sarcastically.

Rossi put his hand on the young man's shoulder comforting him, "I talked to Hotch already, it's fine."

"I haven't led a unit in while Rossi."

"This unit, this family loves you and I think you've earned everyone's respect so far."

"Thank you" Alex sighed in relief.

"Don't worry about it kiddo." Rossi smiled at the young agent as he walked back to the rest of the team to tell them what happened. After filing them in Alex went to talk to Hotch first.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a truck" Hotch smiled trying to put his young agent at ease. "You'll be fine."

"I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to be telling you that."

"It really is nothing but the Bureau can't take any chances."

"I get that. Try to at least enjoy the time off" Alex said with a smile as Hotch picked up on the fact he was referring to Jack.

"Yeah he's coming with my sister in law. Tell the team to go home, who knows when you'll get a call. Alex, make me proud" Hotch said in a fatherly tone that made Alex feel like everything that had happened before was behind them.

"Yes sir" he replied with a smile as he gave Hotch a hug and walked out of the room.

"Hey interim bossman how's other bossman?" Garcia asked with a grin.

"He's doing well considering. The nurse said he'll probably get discharged in a few hours. His sister in law and Jack are coming soon. He said for everyone to go home."

"Okay, let me go see him and we can go" Emily said to Alex as he nodded. He waited with Rossi in a comfortable silence as the team went off to give their well-wishes to Hotch.

* * *

Alex and Emily were awakened by Alex's answering machine at 7am the next morning. "Good morning Mr. Vanderbilt this is Carrie from The Secretary of The Treasury's office and he would appreciate if you were to call him this afternoon from between 2 and 3pm. Have a nice day."

Emily groaned, "Did your father just have his secretary call you to have you call him this afternoon during a specific time range?"

"Yes, that is what he does. You see he is a very important man" Alex said sarcastically as he cuddled with Emily playing with her hair.

"She called you Mr." she chuckled.

"At least she didn't call me Edward. My dad always does that."

"Why?"

"To piss me off" Alex laughed, "I don't know I think it's a control thing."

Moving onto her side and resting against on top of her elbow Emily looked at Alex, "So really how many women have you slept with?"

"Emily!"

"What?"

"Don't be like this."

"Like what?"

"Crazy" he said as he tickled her ribs.

"Really you can tell me."

"It's just, I don't remember" he said as he rubbed the back of his neck and blushed.

"You little slut" Emily teased as she kissed him until his phone went off.

"If this is my father I'm going to throw all my phones in an incinerator" Alex said as he got out of bed and grabbed his phone off the charger on his dresser.

"Vanderbilt."

"We have a case" JJ replied over the phone.

"Fuck already? How bad?"

"Undercover cop killed in St. Louis."

"Okay tell everyone I want them at the plane in 45 minutes. We can brief on the plane. I'll tell Emily, call Garcia we need all the bodies we can get. Thanks JJ."

"No problem Alex."

Alex hung up the phone and looked at Emily, "We have a case. We need to be at the plane in 45 minutes."

"Fuck me" Emily said as she rushed out of Alex's bed.

"I'll grab my stuff and quickly shower and we'll head to your place so you can get ready."

"Okay hurry" Emily sighed as Alex ran off.

"Can pick out a suit for me and grab my go bag?"

"Sure."

* * *

Alex and Emily were the last ones to board the flight and immediately Alex began briefing the team from the files he had read off his pad on the car ride over. "In St. Louis Missouri 7 members of various local gangs have been found dead. Martin Jackson age 18, Richard Brown aged 42, Tyler Hastings aged 23, Morrell Thompson aged 28, Soccoro Locke aged 32, Randall Webber aged 21, and Marcus Callaghan aged 14."

"No offense Alex but since when do cops ask for help in solving random gang violence?" Morgan questioned while still reading the files.

"Since one of the victims was an undercover cop. Officer Daniel Ruiz Jr., also known as Frankie Valejo, ran in the same gang as other victim Socorro Vazquez's until his body was found early yesterday morning."

"What connects the murders?" Emily questioned.

"All the bodies have messages written on them in the victim's own blood. The messages on all of the gang members bodies were 'sinner' but the message on Officer Ruiz was 'Betrayer.'"

"Could it be that his cover was blown?" JJ inquired.

"Doubtful considering the other messages" Reid imputed.

"Well just who did Ruiz betray than?" Emily asked perplexed. There was very little on this case and she noticed Alex's demeanor change when he started reading through the files.

"Isn't that the question of the day" Alex mused. "We're down an agent so we're going to have to hit the ground running. From the airstrip I want Morgan and Emily to go to crime scenes 1-4 where you will be met by local detectives. Agents Rossi and Reid will go the scenes 5-7 and the morgue. JJ and I will work on a press statement at the station and visit the final crime scene with lead detective Jacob Rowlins. Garcia I want you to start filtering through Ruiz's financials. There's something about him gnawing at me."

"Do you think he could be dirty?" Morgan asked.

"Something is just strange about his crime scene. It was more personal than the others. I could be wrong but Profiling 101 is trust you gut right? After we finish combing through the crime scenes we'll convene at the precinct, briefly discuss our findings and move on to interviewing families. However, I would guess that other than Ruiz's family very few families will talk with us considering the gang connections. Anyone have anything to add?"

The team all shook their head in unison. Alex sat next to Emily and she could sense the tension in his body. She took his hand into hers and smiled at him. He smiled back and took a deep breath, "Really what do we know so far?"

Rossi chuckled to himself at the young man. To everyone else, except maybe Emily, he looked confident and collected. Rossi knew better, Alex seemed nervous and he often noticed him gazing at Emily for reassurance.

"7 gang members and one cop dead" Morgan answered from a neighboring chair.

Looking down at the files in front of him Alex continued, "Cause of death for all of the gang members were gunshot wounds to the clavicle and shoulder. The wounds were through and through so I would say that it's a safe bet that the unsub was in close proximity to the victims. Therefore he was either non-threatening or the victims were restrained. I highly doubt that the all of the victims knew the unsub."

"That's probably true" JJ said. She hadn't yet realized how good Alex was at his job. None of the team really had an opportunity to before then.

Alex scratched his jaw, "It looks like the cause of death was a just a means for the unsub to make his true point."

"Hmm" Reid thought out loud.

"Why shoot a through and through in the clavicle and shoulder? Why not the chest or even the head?"

"He wanted the head intact for the message he was sending. He wanted it to be personal."

"Okay, why not the chest than?"

For once in his life Reid looked stumped. Emily cut in, "The chest bleeds more internally, the unsub needed more blood. He doesn't know about forensics so he must have worried that his fingerprints could be traced back to him and wanted to make sure there was enough blood for him to write his message using medical gloves, which he did use since there are no fingerprint smears in the writings."

Alex smiled at his girlfriend when JJ spoke up, "what if he is in the system though? That could explain the gloves."

Rossi snowballed on the idea, "but these kills are personal to him, it's very unlikely a fellow criminal would be so determined in his kill. Alex is right this is more about the kills than the killed."

"Rossi I agree with you but the guy could still be a criminal or have his prints in the system" Morgan countered.

"It's just a hunch, but I think we are looking for someone who was seemingly fine until he wasn't" Alex countered back.

"The kid is good" Rossi said out loud as Garcia starred stunned at Alex.

"No one that beautiful should be that smart. It is unfair to the rest of us" she commented.

"Hey!" The rest of the team shouted back to Garcia as they glared at her. Alex laughed and felt himself relax for the first time in the case.

"Let's save the rest of this for when we land, but keep this conversation in mind" Alex remarked as his mind drifted off to his own past that he had been trying to suppress for years. He got up to get a cup of coffee and while he was gone JJ spoke softly to Emily.

"He seems stressed. He okay?"

Emily shrugged, "I really don't know."

"He's good at what he does."

A small smile made its way on her face as she looked out the window, "Yeah he is."

Alex sat back down and said to JJ, "Will's nice."

"Thank you, sorry if he was kind of cranky. A homeless guy threw up on him at work."

Alex and Emily started laughing as Alex said, "We should do a double date or something. You're our only couple friends."

"Okay."

"When we get back we'll figure it out" Alex said rubbing small circles on Emily's soft hand.

"Hey baby are you going to call your father?"

"No, he's probably just going to complain about me. 'Edward stop being like you, be more like me'" Alex mimicked his father's voice as JJ and Emily laughed.

"Promise me you won't ever be like your father."

"Only if you promises me that if I do you'll shoot me."

"He can't be that bad" JJ cut in.

"He even scares Strauss" Alex said in a matter of fact tone.

"Okay he must be bad" JJ snickered.

Before the plane was about land Alex addressed the team, "I was thinking, the bodies were all found on the street except Ruiz. He was found at home. His message said betrayer not sinner. He was shot in the back, paralyzing him so he could be tortured. Definite overkill on the body, I'm sure. This wasn't because Ruiz was an undercover cop. It was because he was a cop to begin with. Betrayer not because they found out he was a cop in their gang, betrayer because of what he did against the oath of 'to serve and protect.'"

Emily knew what he was getting at, "It's about something that Ruiz did while he was undercover, to try to fit into the gang."

Morgan interrupted, "Let's try to get something more concrete though."

Alex nodded and wondered if he was imposing his own past on the case. Once again Emily could tell something was bothering him but knew it wasn't the time or place.

After leaving the plane and entering into a waiting police escorted SUV with Rossi, Emily, and JJ Alex received a phone call.

"Vanderbilt."

"Agent Vanderbilt" Strauss said in a stern tone, "how is your first investigation going?"

"We've just landed Ma'am" Alex said professionally as Emily looked over at him briefly, unable to focus on his facial expressions since she was driving.

"I need to make something very clear to you Agent Vanderbilt, the success of this investigation falls directly upon you."

"I understand Ma'am."

"And if you are unable to lead it, I think it will be a good judge of how effective you are in the field for future reference."

"Of course."

"I expect that this will be carried out with the utmost of professionalism, especially in regard to Agent Prentiss."

"You would be assuming correctly."

"Have Agent Garcia email me your progress after the day is through."

"Yes Ma'am" Alex replied coldly as he hung up the phone.

"Alex, are you okay?" Rossi asked noting the young profiler's stiff posture.

"Yes thank you, I'm fine" he replied with a fake smile that didn't quite reach his dull eyes.

* * *

The team arrived about 10 minutes later and departed on their separate ways. JJ worked on a press statement as Alex studied all the crime scene photos. "You're going to burn a whole through those" she joked.

Alex gave a small smile as he looked up, "Have you talked to Rowlins?"

"He'll be ready in 15. He has to confer with his captain. So what was that call about earlier?"

"Just Strauss."

"What did she say?"

"She wants to know about how the case is going?"

"Is she trying to show you how good of a Unit Chief you'd be?

"Not exactly" Alex replied with a vacant stare.

"Are you sure nothing is wrong?"

"No, I'm fine. Thank you for asking" he said politely as he scratched the back of his neck.

"You're nervous" Alex looked up at her with his brilliant blue eyes dulled, so different looking than from the night before. "You scratch the back of your neck when your anxious."

"JJ please don't profile me. It's bad enough that you make it a practice of digging through my personnel files, but this is just beyond an invasion of privacy" Alex said with a kind voice tone. He didn't seem angry with her, just stressed. JJ just nodded and hoped that Emily could get through to him later.


	7. Projecting

"What's going on with your boy?" Morgan asked Emily as they drove to the different crime scenes.

"I don't know."

"He seems different."

"He's under a lot of stress."

"Is he ready for this assignment?"

"That's not really up to me to decide. You've seen him in training" Emily didn't like where this conversation was heading.

"I did and he was great but normally in the field he is more relaxed. He seems so fixated on Ruiz this time though."

"Morgan if you have an issue with how Alex is leading this investigation you should talk to him about it" Emily said curtly as they exited the car.

"Prentiss…"

"Morgan we need to look at this crime scene."

* * *

As they walked through the crime scene there was very little out of the ordinary besides the living room pained in blood that read 'sinner.'

Alex just stared at the word betrayer, seemingly unfocused on anything else. "Nothing else matters here" he remarked to JJ.

"What are you saying?" She was really confused by his comment.

"Betrayer, it's all here, it's all in the messages. This is the crime scene that matters to him. And this is the only part of the scene that he cares about."

"He could have made a mistake."

"No."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because everything about this kill is planned perfectly, everything is reserved even the tortured. His only outlet in all the crime scenes are the messages. That is all he allows himself."

"So what does it mean?"

"All men are sinners. Not all men are betrayers. The victims who are they?" Alex asked still facing away from JJ.

"Martin…"

Alex cut her off, "Not their names but who they were."

"Drug dealers and a prostitute."

"All sinners, but something that Ruiz did was exponentially worse. That's what we have to find. What made him worse" he said walking away from the wall into the SUV to head back to the precinct. JJ was worried that they didn't spend enough time walking through the crime scene but trusted in Alex's abilities.

* * *

It was late as the team filtered back into the precinct. Emily smiled at Alex who just nodded to her. After confirming that no one had anything new Alex received another phone call and was briefly relived to discover the number wasn't Strauss'. "Agent Vanderbilt yes, fuck, okay yeah I'm going there now, forward it to me. Lock it down officer, no one in there but us for now, we'll call CSU when I get there." After hanging up the phone Alex looked to the team, "Focus in Ruiz, for now he is the only victim we profile."

"Alex are you sure about this? I get following your instincts but you can't let it cloud the investigation" Rossi spoke up.

"This is all about Ruiz, always has been."

"What are you talking about?" Morgan confronted Alex.

"The fact all the bodies were found and killed in alleyways except for Ruiz, who was found in his home. The overkill on his body, you heard what the M.E. said, his body was drained of blood while he was still alive. The message 'betrayer' not 'sinner,' the new body."

"What new body?"

"I have a new body and I think it is in someway connected to Ruiz."

"But I'm guessing there is nothing to suggest that yet" Rossi presumed.

"Reid you're coming with me, everyone else continue sifting through Ruiz's life. Rossi start a preliminary profile using Ruiz's murder as the main focal point. Garcia did you find anything in his financials yet?"

"Nothing yet sugarplum."

"Okay, keep looking" he sighed.

"She's not finding anything because there isn't anything there Alex. To profile only Ruiz is singlehandedly crippling our investigation and you refuse to see it" Morgan said flustered as he looked to Emily, "Prentiss what the fuck is he doing?"

"Agent Morgan this is not your investigation" Alex said in an even but stern tone.

"Morgan" Emily said almost pleadingly.

"He is telling us to only focus on Ruiz, as if the other victims don't matter."

"Morgan he's telling us to focus on Ruiz first because it looks like the unsub cares more about him. And he's probably right that Ruiz was always the target."

"Rossi said that does not match the profile. So, are you saying that because you believe that or because your boyfriend does?" Morgan questioned harshly. JJ looked like she wanted to step in but Rossi just shook his head 'no.' It would make things worse.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean Morgan?"

"It's supposed to mean that not once have you questioned him in this entire investigation, the entire time standing by your boy even though it is obvious that everyone else has a problem with his fucked up investigation techniques. And if it were Hotch or Rossi or me doing this you would be the first to point out that is isn't right and question this shitty method. This is textbook of why fraternization is not allowed" Morgan ranted.

Alex decided that he had to step in, "Enough, Morgan go back to the hotel" he said in the same even tone he had used all night, careful not to raise his voice.

"What?! You're taking me off the case?!" Morgan asked furiously.

"No, I'm sending you to the hotel for the day, everyone else will be joining you in half an hour anyway. But your attitude is unacceptable and if you continue to behave this way I will take you off the case."

"Because I don't agree with you" Morgan said as he rolled his eyes.

"Because instead of bringing it up privately or with a degree of respect you undermined me in front of the entire team and brought irrelevant personal matters in."

"So because of your girlfriend then."

"No, because you are causing a scene in the middle of a police precinct we are guests in. What do you think Strauss is going to say is she finds out? Do you honestly think the police department will invite us back after your outburst?"

"Or after your failure of an investigation" Morgan shot back bitterly.

"Enough go to the hotel now. Do not bother coming back tomorrow unless you can accept some direction. I don't care if you like it or not but you are not going to pull a stunt like this again. This is your only warning."

"You are acting like I am you inferior."

"In this case you are. Is that what this is all about? The fact that it is me leading the investigation and not you? Work it out Morgan and come back tomorrow ready to be cooperative. Reid come on" Alex said as he left the conference room.

Morgan looked around and loudly gathered his things to leave. Emily glared at him as he left.

"Emily I'm so sorry" Garcia apologized for her friend.

"Alex handled that well" Rossi said as he walked over to the board. "Maybe the kid is right. Really Prentiss do you think so? You've been undercover before."

"Yeah and I can tell you that when you are you have to do things to prove you are a fellow criminal. And I think it is very possible that is what happened to Ruiz. That maybe his crime triggered the unsub."

"Well let's figure it out then" Rossi smiled at her.

* * *

"Alex, umm, why did you pick me?" Reid asked.

"This crime scene is brutal. It's so much worse than the rest and I believe that you out of everyone can keep your head on straight in this situation" he replied tiredly. "Right now they're too emotional."

"For the record, I agree with you. I think that Ruiz is the key to this investigation" Reid smiled to Alex. "So what is the condition of the body? Why do you think it's related to Ruiz?"

"Bodies" he corrected, "because it's a pregnant woman and a 9 month old little boy."

"And you think Ruiz is the father?"

"Look at the picture of the crime scene that the responding office sent me" Alex said as he handed over his phone.

"The blood message says 'all is fair'…"

"All is fair in love and war" Alex said as they pulled into the dark parking lot of a rundown apartment complex.

**Do you think Alex's hunch is right about the case or is he just projecting?**

**More on his mysterious past to come in the next chapter. **


	8. All is Fair

**This chapter is probably the most important one so far when it comes to the case.**

**Alex is pushing Emily away, for now, but it's hard to change your ways. But one need not worry, Emily is just as stubborn as Alex and she will get him to talk. **

**Amongst the drama there are some lighter moments and some instances of Rossi being the team dad. **

After getting out of the car Alex walked up to a young blonde male officer in his early 20's. He had a crew cut and who looked as if he just graduated from the academy.

"Good evening, SAC Vanderbilt and this is Dr. Reid" Alex said as both men shook the officer's hand. "Thank you for keeping the crime scene restricted."

"You're welcome Agent."

"You can go ahead and put in that call to CSU."

"Yes sir."

Alex nodded to the officer as he walked towards the stairs up to the second level where the victims' bodies were found. Reid followed him and wondered how bad the crime scene would be. When they entered into the apartment Reid and Alex noticed the children's toys strewn across the floor. Alex shuttered when he thought about how it reminded him of JJ's house. The walls were a dingy white color, as if they hadn't been painted in years, and the carpet looked worn but clean.

"Carpet, may have used surgical shoe covers" Alex muttered.

"No footprints" Reid pointed out, remembering that Ruiz's apartment had wood and CSU said the floor had been wiped down. "How would you know though? That these places have carpet."

"It's a good guess based on the complex, but a unsub this determined would have probably called the manager to check. Reid call Emily and JJ and have them call the manager before they head to the hotel" Alex instructed as he walked into the hallway towards the bedrooms. He looked into one and noticed it was a little boy's room decorated with trains and airplanes. He walked into the next to find a horrifying scene.

On the floor both mother and child were killed, but most notably this time their eyes were closed. The mother looked young, early twenties, and Alex wanted to vomit when he saw the little boy. The infant had one gun shot wound to the head, the mother a shot to the head and shot to the stomach region. All Alex wanted to do was vomit or cry but he couldn't. He couldn't break down on a crime scene, especially not if he was leading the investigation. What if Strauss had found out? On the wall above the bodies was the message, 'ALL IS FAIR' in capital letters. Reid walked into the room and shook his head as he stood beside Alex.

"Remorse" Alex said quietly.

"Who do you think was shot first?"

"I'm not sure, probably the child, then the mother. He shot the mother in the head but he also shot her in the stomach, he probably didn't want the baby to die in distress." Alex cringed at the next words he uttered, "For all purposes it was a merciful death. 'All is fair,' he did this for his own family. He did it for love."

"This was all because of his purpose. This is the most important crime scene of the case" Reid agreed.

"And it happened while we were here."

Turning to face Alex, Reid spoke up, "Alex you couldn't have known, there was no way…"

"Thanks Reid, I'm glad you feel that way." Alex pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, "and I hope you're not the only one who does."

After searching the apartment Reid found brochures for a new three bedroom apartment that the victim was looking at, while Alex found a few men's clothes in the closet. It looked like a man also occupied two drawers in the victim's dresser. There weren't quite enough clothes to sustain someone living there but enough for them to stay over often.

"Reid let's go, we can get the CSU reports in the morning" Alex spoke up prompting Reid to look away from the toys that he had been analyzing. As they both walked out of the bedroom there was no doubt in Reid's mind that Alex had been right all along. This case had always been about Ruiz. The only question now was: why?

"I forgot to mention that Emily called me" Reid spoke up in the car, he hoped Alex wouldn't be mad. "She said that the manager of the place said that someone called them three days ago inquiring about the flooring. He didn't think anything of it."

"Why would he? Call the precinct and put them on speaker phone so we can fill them in."

Reid called JJ and caught everyone up as Alex spoke up, "Garcia the number from the call?"

"One of the last pay phones in town."

"Of course. This helps though. He was meticulous about this murder. He spent time planning it, it wasn't a rash decision. And it shows that if he knew about the two most recent victims at least three days ago he knew about Ruiz a lot longer. He planned for him. M.E. said that although her body was found first, Socorro Locke died four days after Webber and Callaghan. Ruiz died a week after Locke."

"So he took more time to plan" Rossi said.

"The first five victims were all found a day apart. They were kills of opportunity. They weren't high-ranking members of gangs but they contributed to the violence in the area, in that regard they were sinners. This isn't about biblical sinning or the last message would have said sinner too because the children were born out-of-wedlock, right?" Alex asked.

"Exactly" Reid spoke up, "sinning in the unsub's mind solely has to do with violence. Violence that he thinks he was given the right to avenge. He almost has a god complex."

"What if he kills the first victims because they're there and before they're dead, while they're bleeding he asks them 'who committed this crime.' He sticks with that method until he finds a 14-year-old kid and 21-year-old willing to talk in hopes of saving their lives. Four days later he finds someone in the gang he was pointed towards…"

"Locke" Rossi spoke up.

"And she spills on something Ruiz did. The unsub starts stalking Ruiz, he's obsessed and he discovers the thing that set him even further over the edge…"

"Ruiz is a cop who betrayed his oath when he did whatever he did" JJ interjected.

"And then he discovers that Ruiz has a secret family and becomes a family annihilator to avenge the death of the family he lost" Emily finished.

After a brief silence Alex began speaking again, "Garcia what do we know about Ruiz again?"

"Daniel Ruiz Jr. was 25, he graduated from the academy 2 years ago. Before that he worked as a mechanic for his uncle who owned a small shop. Uncle died, shop closed and he joined the police force being selected for undercover duty after graduation from the academy. From his undercover files it appears that he spent 6 months in prison for his cover and then began working with local drug dealer and hell raiser extraordinaire Marco Cruz. And that's all I have so far."

"Okay that's good, so it's entirely possible timeline wise that Ruiz was involved with our newest victim. Why doesn't everyone head to the hotel and before you go Garcia, can you set up a search to run overnight?"

"Your wish is my command my dark prince."

"Garcia I am depending on your all-knowing self because I don't have much to give you. First we need to find a crime that happened probably about a month ago, before the first kill. It would have resulted in the death of a family or at least a wife and child. It would have jarred the unsub. The second search would be for a crime with similar characteristics sometime before then."

"My babies are working now."

"Thanks everyone good work" Alex said as Reid ended the call.

* * *

Emily sat on JJ's bed in her hotel room as she waited for the blonde profiler to return from calling Will to say goodnight.

"This day sucked ass" Emily huffed as JJ sat beside her.

JJ laughed, "Oh what a way with words you have Emily Prentiss."

"I must be picking it up from preppy" Emily said in a flustered tone.

"Yeah, have you talked to him about anything yet?"

"No, it wouldn't have been appropriate out in the field and he hasn't come back."

"I swear I saw Reid at the ice machine though. You know it's bad if even Spence needs a drink. Where do you think he is?"

"Reid?"

"No Alex, stupid" JJ giggled as she nudged Emily with her elbow.

"I don't know, probably putting out a hit on Morgan" Emily almost growled.

"He better not be…without you" JJ smirked to her friend. She knew that she was pissed with her partner and so was everyone else. Even Garcia had yelled at him when they got back.

_JJ watched Garcia knock loudly on Morgan's hotel room door. _

_"Hey baby girl…"_

_She cut him off, "Don't you baby girl me after what you pulled with princess raven locks and her dark prince! I cannot believe you Derek Morgan! Do you realize what you might have done to Alex's career if Strauss found out?! She hates him and is looking for any chance to fire him and you may have just given one to her. She is putting any mistakes or inability to control the team solely on him. Do you have any idea what that means?! She is asking me to monitor him every day and tell her if he's making any mistakes. I had to lie about your incident today and for both mine and Alex's sakes I hope to God that the dragon lady never finds out!" She ranted harshly in the hallway as she stomped her left foot so hard the kitten pin on top of the pink heel almost flew off. Morgan had never seen her this upset before. "Until you apologize for your rudeness you are not my chocolate Adonis. You are evil Adonis!" she yelled again as JJ tried to stifle her laughs. _

_Garcia slammed the door from the outside on Morgan's shocked face as she looked over at JJ who was trying so hard not to laugh. "You do not want to mess with me tonight blondie" she said as she walked into her room and slammed the door. JJ shuttered violently at Garcia's next words as she reopened the door and poked her head out to talk to JJ. "Don't bother me tonight, I'm going to be busy on the phone with Kevin if you know what I mean."_

_JJ's face sunk at the realization of what her friend had just said. She retreated into her own room and texted Emily to come talk to her, needing a distraction from the horrors that now plagued her mind. _

"I'm actually still traumatized by that" JJ joked again trying to lighten Emily's mood.

"I cannot believe that he had a problem with Alex and went to me to complain. I don't want to be in the middle of their issues."

"Plus you would totally choose Alex every time."

"Not if he wasn't right, but he was. I know Rossi and Morgan always want to check all angles but this case from the beginning seemed to have one focus. But I really don't want to talk about work anymore" Emily admitted trying to calm herself down.

"I don't blame you. Neither do I really. Want to talk about Strauss? Garcia said she's asking for daily updates on Alex."

"She qualifies as work."

"Want to talk about Alex."

"No, I'd rather talk to Alex about Alex if that's okay."

"Want to plan our double date?" JJ was hating Morgan for putting Emily into this funk.

"Why is my relationship so complicated? I mean I never see you and Will with these issues."

"Exactly Em you don't see them, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. Will and I fight and argue and ignore each other, but it's not as public as when you and Alex do it. You work together, arguments come with the job. Will and I fight about work all the time, there's just not Morgan there to antagonize the situation."

Emily nodded at her best friend's answer and realized she was comforted by it. "Just talk to me about Henry" Emily said with a smile. She was tired and felt that would cheer her up.

JJ smiled back, "Well he decided that we should tear down the house and only live in a fort."

Emily couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

Rossi began knocking on Morgan's door and was relieved that his younger counterpart had opened up. "Mind if I come in?" Rossi asked as he pushed his way in the door with a bottle of scotch. "I brought refreshments" he said holding the bottle up.

"Yeah, come in."

Pouring the scotch into two plastic clear cups Rossi continued, "We were both wrong."

"About?" Morgan was hoping that Rossi wasn't going to say what he thought he was.

"The case, it was all about Ruiz. The little time spent on the murders before him compared to the large amount of time spent stalking him prove it. Add to that the new bodies..."

"I thought it was only one body" Morgan interrupted, leaning forward on the edge of the bed.

Rossi took a drink, "two, one pregnant woman and one 9 month old boy. The timeline seems to point to the woman being involved with Ruiz."

"The boy?"

"Probably his son."

"Fuck" Morgan muttered.

"Like I said, we were wrong. Let me ask you Morgan, what was that all about? I was weary of this theory too but you seemed very invested in it being wrong."

Morgan shrugged, "It didn't seem like the right way to investigate."

"Alex saved us a lot of time that would have been wasted on trying to profile 6 other people whose family wouldn't talk to us. But that's not what your upset about, is it?"

"Rossi how did I do when I was Unit Chief?"

"You were good" Rossi confirmed.

"Than why didn't…"

"Why did they ask you back this time?" Rossi finished.

"This was only his second time in the field."

"With us."

"But still."

"This wasn't Alex's choice Derek, you know that. If anything you have Strauss to blame."

"Don't even bring up Strauss. I just heard it from Penelope that I may have handed Strauss more ammunition to screw over Alex."

"Well it isn't just Alex that you owe an apology to. You owe one to Emily too."

"I just feel like…"

"You felt like Alex wasn't ready for this and wasn't doing a good enough job. That he was distracted and wasn't protecting the team as well as he should have and everyone else seemed to agree with you, to a degree, except Emily. She's your partner. You thought that she of all people would always support you and this time she didn't."

Morgan nodded, "I'm worried that the team dynamic will change."

"It might very well have and to be honest how could it not with a new member? But Morgan you know Emily. If she ever felt Alex was out of line she would say so, whether they were dating or not. She beat the kid up for Christ's sake" Rossi said with a laugh as Morgan chuckled. "She'll always be our friend, our family. We just have a new addition to it, and I think he has more than proved himself. He should have thrown you off this case and written you up but he didn't. He trusted you to work out your issues and show up ready to work tomorrow, which I'm hoping you will" Rossi remarked as he patted Morgan's shoulder and began to leave the room.

"Thanks Rossi" Morgan smiled. "By the way if we stayed in a fight whose side would you take, mine or Prentiss'?"

"Prentiss, every damn time" Rossi replied closing the door on a chuckling Morgan.

* * *

Alex walked into his hotel room at around 10pm that night to find Emily sitting on his bed watching TV.

"Making yourself at home?" Alex tiredly questioned her.

"More like waiting for you" She replied moving forward to give him a hug, slipping her hands under his suit jacket resting them on his shoulder blades. He was still tense. "Where have you been? Reid was here two hours ago."

"Working" Alex replied as he took off his suit jacket and tie.

"Why?"

"Strauss is on me" he said fumbling with the buttons on his shirt.

"I figured" she mumbled. "You look like shit" she cracked.

"Well you look beautiful" he smiled as he kissed her.

"Charming, but you're not going to get out of a talk that easy."

Alex was rummaging through his go bag, "Then I take my compliment back."

She smirked, "too late, it's already gone to my ego." Suddenly getting more serious she put her hands on his to still him and continued, "really something is bothering you. It has been since you got the case."

"It's nothing, I'm…"

"Fine" she interrupted him in a curt tone. "Alex you said that so many times today I don't think you even know what the word means anymore. You have to talk to me."

Alex moved away from her, "Emily."

"No, and I'm not leaving until you do."

"Fine, you are welcome to stay" Alex said gesturing to the room. "I'm going to take a shower."

Emily groaned, she had actually met someone more stubborn than her. "Have you eaten yet?" she yelled as the bathroom door closed even though she already knew the answer.

"I'm not hungry" he replied as the water started.

"You cannot survive on secrecy and coffee alone Alexander" she yelled after walking up to the door. She was mildly worried when she didn't get a witty response back.

Emily fell asleep while Alex was reading through the newest CSU reports. It was about 3:30am when she stretched out and realized he still hadn't gone to bed. After rubbing her eyes awake she could tell that he had eaten the burger she ordered him but hadn't slept all night. He was leaning against the wall of the hotel room peering out the window at the city skyline. The light coming in illuminated his face and revealed how exhausted he looked. He was pale, his eyes were not bright or shining like normal, he was exceptionally scruffy and his hair looked as if he had pulled at it because of stress all day. Emily got out of bed and walked behind Alex, wrapping her arms around him and putting her hands on his chest. He flinched at the touch until he realized who it was. She whispered into his ear, "we need to talk" as he merely nodded in reply.

He turned around to face her and that's when she noticed his eyes had unshed tears in them. "Emily, I fucked up" he said so low that is was barely above a whisper.

**What could Alex have possibly done that would make him feel like he had to hide from the BAU's resident International Woman of Mystery? **

**The next chapter will finally bring Alex's past (namely Damascus and Islamabad) to light and his INDIRECT connection to this case will be explained. **


	9. Damascus and Islamabad

**And finally the truth comes out.**

Emily could sense Alex's body go rigid again as he choked back any tears that might have threatened to fall. "Baby?" she tried to coax him to talk. "Alex, what do you mean? Why do you think you fucked up?"

"I know I did" he said as he took a deep breath. "Emily what if…"

"What if I change my mind about you? Alex I'm not going to do that. Just like you didn't when you found out about Doyle or my abortion."

"But Emily this is so much worse" he cleared his throat. "When I was in Damascus, when I was making explosives I fucked up Emily."

Emily guided him to the bed and sat facing him, "What happened?"

Alex spoked in the softest of tones, "My job was to make bombs and train others for this terror group. The thinking was that either way the bombs were going to be made, but this way we could know who was involved and where they were getting their money. I was the inside man."

"You were undercover."

"And a made a mistake, a really bad mistake" he took another deep breath. Telling Emily was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life and she could see the nervousness on his face. "I was supposed to make this car bomb, they were going to use it on a terrorist in a rival terror cell. It had to do with religion I think. Anyway I told myself that it was for the greater good, you know? That if we could catch these guys it would all make sense. That this other man was a terrorist too. So I did it. I had to, they would have known if it was a fake" he said as he once again swallowed his tears.

"It's okay" Emily said as she touched his cheek.

"One of the guys I worked for, he had a nephew who was 12. They sent him with the bomb because no one would notice a kid rummaging around on the ground and he could put the bomb under the car."

Emily cringed internally when her mind jumped to a conclusion about what might have happened.

"He was shopping in a bazaar and his car was parked on the street. The kid went up and put the bomb under the car and ran away. But he, he made a mistake. He put the bomb under the wrong car" Alex was starting to get more and more upset. "The car belonged to a pregnant woman. She was 25, she left behind 2 kids and a husband. I killed her Emily, it was my bomb that killed her" the tears finally fell and Alex was beyond embarrassed. His father always taught him that men don't cry.

"Alex, baby" Emily didn't know what to say. There was no way she blamed Alex, she knew first hand that when you're undercover you have no choice. Maybe someone was killed from the weapons she sold during her time undercover. But at least she didn't know without a doubt that her actions had killed someone.

"You know what my handler said to me after it happened?" Alex said bitterly, "He said that she was collateral damage. I begged him to take me out but he didn't. He wouldn't do it because he had already invested too much in the infiltration" Alex said as he violently rubbed his eyes.

"Alex, it was a mistake, a mistake that you didn't make."

"But it falls on me Emily, I killed two people. I killed a baby."

"Alex…" Emily hated seeing how upset Alex was. She hated seeing the self-loathing in his eyes. "Is that why this case has been so hard for you? Because you think you're a betrayer? Because you have to remember that this unsub is deranged."

Alex just looked away out the window, "I shouldn't be leading a team."

"Why not? You're doing such a good job" Emily couldn't understand why he was being so hard on himself.

"Because the last time I did someone died" he replied coldly as he walked out of the room leaving a shocked Emily behind.

After realizing what Alex just had said Emily walked off after him. "Alex" she called in the hallway as he just walked away. "Alex" she pleaded as she walked faster.

She walked outside of the hotel to find Alex sitting against the hotel wall. His elbows were rested on his knees and his head was burrowed in his hands. She touched his arm and he responded to her in the saddest tone she had ever heard, "Please Emily just go away."

"No" she countered firmly.

"Emily I know what you're going to say" he mumbled.

"Alex I want the truth, what happened?"

"I fucked up again and this time it killed a member of my team."

"In Damascus?"

"Islamabad, it happened two years ago."

"Right before you joined the critical response unit." Alex's transfer, his disdain at the idea of having Hotch's job, it all made sense now. He has made a mistake and someone died. Someone else had made a mistake and another innocent person had died too. Her heart broke for him. his hidden pain.

"I couldn't do it anymore Em" he said looking up as his lost blue eyes locked with her loving brown ones.

"Whatever happened Alex, you can't blame yourself for anything."

"But this was my fault" Alex sighed and accepted that Emily was not going to let this go. He continued, "I was running this joint task force in Islamabad. We were trying to infiltrate this terror cell. I was the handler for the team member that was selected to go undercover, he was a fellow CIA agent. He was supposed to meet someone at 9 one morning. He received a cryptic message that had the location of the meeting place. I was out drinking with, with a woman" he said meekly as he looked up at Emily again. He looked back down and continued after Emily smiled at him. "I missed the drop off with my agent. He sent the message to my home and by the time I got it, I didn't have time to send it out to our decoder, so I did it myself. I didn't pick up on the code correctly. I was too hung over. I sent him to the wrong place. When he didn't show they guessed he didn't decode the messages himself. He was so young, he didn't know how to play it. He told them that he got confused."

"They knew it wasn't him that someone else decoded their other messages for him."

"They killed him and sent the video of it to the Embassy for me" Alex said as he started sobbing. "I saw his face before they started on him and he was scared and he kept crying for help. He knew it was my fault."

Emily moved to hug him as he cried into her shoulder. She hushed him gently, "Hey, it's okay, it's okay. I don't blame you, nobody does. You made a mistake."

"He was only 23 and he trusted me. He trusted me and I killed him."

"Did they know he was CIA?"

Emily felt Alex shake his head 'no' against her neck. "They just thought he was an informant. He never admitted to them who was."

"Alex I want you to look at me" she spoke gently as he looked up at her, his blue eyes tinted red. "You made a mistake and that happens. People make mistakes the only differences are that in these jobs the stakes are just astronomically higher. And everyone who has ever gone undercover knows that. You knew it, I knew it, I know that your that agent knew it."

"Aram."

"Aram knew it too. It just comes with the job and you have to remember that the mistakes that do happen, they don't just fall on you. Sometimes things just happen and you can't torture yourself about it."

Alex closed his eyes and swallowed as his hands ran through his hair, "You said you wanted kids. Em can you really see raising kids with someone like me? The things that I've done, the person I am…" He said with a tone of self-disgust.

Moving forward to wrap her hands around his neck Emily mumbled into his ear, "Alex I love you and what happened does not change that. When I look at you I don't see someone who is responsible for killing people. I see someone who made a mistake and cares so much that it's stayed with him for years. So many people would've just shrugged it off but you never forgot them. That is why you are exactly the kind of man I want to be with and raise children with." She moved to face him and smirked, "So stop being so stupid and come back to bed."

For the first time of the day Alex laughed as he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He gave her another hug and whispered into her ear, "thank you. I love you so much and I'm sorry I pushed you away."

She mumbled into his chest, "I love you too, but if you ever make me run after you into a hotel parking lot in my pajamas I am so dumping your ass." Alex locked down and noticed that she was only wearing a tank top, a pair of silk boxers, and no shoes.

"You are going to wash your feet before you get into bed right?" He asked as the pain started to dissipate from his face.

Emily took Alex's hand and started walking towards the lobby, "Keep talking Vandy and I will beat the shit out of you" she turned around and smirked, "again."

When they got to their room Emily walked towards the bathroom and said, "So you transferred to the BAU for something more tame?"

Alex walked behind her, "Yeah, how fucked up am I that serial killers are the most normal I can get?"

"Hey don't knock it because you're insulting me too" she smiled as she turned on the shower. "Get in" she commanded.

"Now you're drawing me a bath? I know I cried but stop reminding my how fragile I am" he said embarrassed.

"Alex I don't care that you cried, in fact if you didn't than I would be worried. I was inviting you to join me" she said as she pushed him out of the bathroom and closed the door on his face.

"You are a cruel woman Emily Prentiss" he whispered through the door with a smile.

"And you wouldn't have it any other way" she replied back and she unlocked the door for him and kissed him deeply, pulling him as close as possible as she closed the bathroom door again.

* * *

JJ awoke suddenly at 5:45 to a loud thump. She got up and tried to figure out what the noise was and remembered her room was directly next to Alex's. "At least they made up" she laughed as she debated going to her own bathroom to listen to them before stopping herself. "Oh my god I really am turning into Garcia" she shuttered as she went back to her bed and turned on the weather channel.

At 8am the team met in the downstairs lobby. Alex was standing with Emily and JJ while Garcia and Reid were getting more coffee with Rossi. "So you okay?" JJ asked Alex.

"Yeah, I think so" he said sincerely as he looked over to Emily who was walking towards the counter to get a newspaper.

"She really loves you, you know?"

Alex smiled, "Yeah I know. I love her too, I'm lucky."

"Well I think you are but I'm biased. I know that you have Emily but if you ever want to talk we're all here for you."

"Thank you I appreciate it" Alex said as he gave her a quick hug.

"This is what having friends and family is like Alex" she nudged him like she would her brother. "Get used to it."

He chuckled, "by that you mean having everyone in my right?"

"Yes and don't think for a second I didn't hear you this morning" she said as she walked away, leaving her temporary boss blushing. Alex looked back up and was pleased to see Morgan there.

"Hey Alex can I talk to you?" he asked as he walked over.

"Of course" Alex said as he met Morgan halfway.

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday. It wasn't my investigation and I shouldn't have tried to take over like that. I think I was just envious that you were trusted to lead this investigation over me and frustrated that you weren't doing it my way."

"I accept your apology and you were right I was projecting. Morgan I trust you and I hope you don't ever doubt my faith in your abilities."

"I don't" Morgan smiled.

"Well then it's water under the bridge" Alex said as a slight smile made its way onto his face. "Good luck with Emily though."

Morgan smiled, "I'm going to need it."

"Yeah we both know she can fuck you up" Alex joked as he directed the team to head to the precinct.

* * *

"Our newest victims were Graciella Moreno aged 22, a former waitress and Tyler Moreno 9 months old. Tyler was given his mother's maiden name and his father was left unnamed on his birth certificate" JJ started.

"You said former waitress, former because she died or former because she quit?"

"Uh, it says here she quit a month before she had the baby."

"Then how did she get the money to pay for the apartment?"

"And how would she have money for a larger one?" Emily inquired.

Morgan cut in, "It must have been Ruiz, anything on those financials baby girl?"

"Nothing my chocolate thunder." After Morgan apologized to Alex the team was starting to get back to normal, but Morgan had yet to make amends with Emily.

"Yeah like his boss Marco Cruz is going to sign up for direct deposit. Ruiz probably lived on his department money and gave his dealing money to Graciella" she replied as she quickly looked away from Morgan.

"Are we sure the child is his?" Reid asked.

"DNA confirmed early this morning. Going with Emily's theory the unsub must have stalked Ruiz if there was no paper trail connecting him to Moreno. We need to find out if any of his gang associates knew about her." Alex replied. "What is the profile so far Rossi?"

"We're looking for a white male between the ages of 30-40. He recently lost his family. He doesn't stand out, he wouldn't frighten anyone away with his appearance. He would still hold a candle for his late family, he may still wear a wedding band. He would have lost his partner and at least one child. He is extremely dangerous so do not approach him alone."

"Garcia you get any hits on that search?"

"Well my dumpling of love, 5 weeks ago there was a carjacking gone wrong."

"Go on."

"According to a police report a security video showed that the Livingston family was at the local mall and an unknown man approached their car while the father, James Livingston aged 36, was inside. He tried to fight off the assailant but his throat was slashed. Oh my god, the perp turned around and saw the man's wife and child and another person who was with the perp shot and killed them. The video than shows them yelling, the smaller perp goes through the car for valuables as the first perp takes the jewelry off the wife, Christy Livingston aged 30. The bodies were found the next day by a jogger, the daughter Louise was 5. Alex was this guy Ruiz?"

"I would say so, Garcia I need to see the video."

"Okay just a minute" Garcia said as she fervently typed.

The teamed watched as Alex spoke up, "The smaller figure is a woman, I'm willing to guess it was Socorro. She probably told the unsub that it was Ruiz that committed the crime."

"But the paper mentions two unsubs" JJ mentioned.

"But the unsub probably thought she only knew about one of them," Emily countered.

"Our unsub is looking for the other unsub and their family" Morgan spoke up panicked.

"Garcia any similar crimes going back?" Emily asked hopefully.

"No gumdrop."

"Maybe with a gun instead of a knife, the unsub only uses a gun. Maybe it's important."

"Sorry hun but no."

"Garcia can you check in other cities or states?" Alex asked.

With a disappointed look on her face Garcia replied, "I can but it's going to take a while for my babies to go through the system, probably at least 6 hours with these parameters."

"That's fine Garcia. Morgan and Emily go talk to one of Ruiz's associates to see who was he close to. They may be the target. We need to get ahead of the unsub. Considering his patterns we only have today to find the next victim before he strikes again. Rossi and Reid try to find out if Ruiz's family knew about his girlfriend and child. JJ and I will brief the media."

Emily shot Alex a look after she left the conference table with Morgan. Alex just shrugged with a smile as he walked in front of the white board.

"We'll find him" JJ said as she squeezed his arm.

"But will it be in time?" He sighed as they began working on a press release.

* * *

"Emily I'm sorry for the way I acted" Morgan spoke up cutting the silence in the car.

Emily yawned as she looked out the window of the car, "I know you are Morgan, but that's not what I'm upset about. I'm upset that you don't think I can still do my job because I'm with Alex."

"I don't think that. I worried about it but the truth is Alex makes our team better. He makes you better. I should not have said otherwise."

"Hey! What was wrong with my skills before?" Emily questioned playfully.

"You know what I mean Princess" Morgan smiled. "You deserve to be happy and I'm sorry that I acted like you didn't. It's always been you and me but now it's you and Alex."

"Morgan you're my friend and I forgive you but you can't pull anything like that again. And out friendship isn't going to change just because I'm seeing someone. Just like your perverted one with Garcia didn't change when she started dating Kevin."

"I won't do anything like that again, out of fear for my life. I was pretty sure baby girl was going to kill me."

"Well who could blame her?" Emily visibly relaxed. "Evil Adonis" Emily cracked as Morgan laughed.

Morgan and Emily left the car and walked up to one of Marco Cruz's corners to meet with one of lead Detective Rowlin's contacts, Manny Sanchez.

"So Manny what was Ruiz up to before he died?" Morgan asked of the 21-year-old drug dealer they had found on the street.

"Man you go to get out of here!"

"We're not leaving" Emily said firmly.

"Fine, I don't know man, but it must have been no good then huh?" Manny Sanchez said smiling through the drug haze he was in.

"Listen up Manny and listen good. I do not care about your drug charges now but if you don't tell me what I want to know I'll start caring really fast. What I'll do is I'll arrest you and I will keep you for about 12 hours and then you'll be free to go. Then an hour later the drug house we both know Ruiz told us about will be raided and then what will your boss Marco think when he finds out about your little trip down to the police station that somehow left you free?"

"No lady you can't do that, he'll kill me!"

"Than talk" Morgan said with a smile to Emily.

"Nobody liked Frankie, never, but he got shit done. Never caught but he acted like his shit don't stink. Real piece of work. Anyway no one trusted him and Marco wanted to smoke him out. He said you want to prove you're in than prove you're in. I didn't hear what it was all 'bout but I heard Frankie whining to Manny 1. You see I'm Manny 2 and he's Manny 1, older and shit. So he's whining to him 'oh I can't do this. I can't do this shit' being a pussy like that. But I guess he did it because one day someone said that Marco said Frankie was all right and earned our respect. That's all I know," he finished putting his hands up in the air.

"What date did you hear that?"

"I don't know I'm not real good with dates or time."

"No kidding" Emily cut in.

"It was a while ago, maybe on a Saturday. No Sunday, some Sunday after church with my ma. Other than that I told you I don't know nothing."

"I know, I just need to know who Frankie was close to outside of Socorro" Morgan calmly asked.

"I told you no one until he done the deed. Then everyone wanted to be friends with Marco's new man. Marco said he was a sick fuck and liked that."

"So he was close to Marco?"

"Yeah man like I said."

"Have you ever seen Marco before?" Emily asked.

"Yeah lady he's fucking scary, tattoos on his eyebrows and shit."

"How tall is he?"

"Lady I ain't good with numbers I already told you. Damn are you retarded or something?"

Morgan chuckled as Emily angrily replied, "You said you weren't good with dates not numbers."

"Well duh a date is a number."

"Manny, was Marco shorter or taller than Ruiz?!" Morgan yelled, he was no longer cool, calm, and collected.

"Shorter."

"We need to go" Morgan shouted to Emily as he took out his phone. "Alex it's Marco Cruz, he's the next target. We need a next of kin now!"

* * *

Alex got off the phone with Morgan and briskly walked over to the computer Garcia was sitting at, "That was Morgan, unsub will be looking for Marco Cruz. Garcia we need an address for Cruz and his next of kin."

"Oh my god I got it!" Garcia loudly exclaimed.

"The address?"

"No my dark prince, the unsub. Our unsub is Olivier Hanover, aged 37, lost his wife and both of his daughters 7 months ago in a robbery gone wrong in the back alley of a movie theatre. According to the police reports he went back into the theatre for his 9-year-old daughter Amanda's sweater and when he came out his 32-year-old wife Connie, Amanda, and 6-year-old daughter Marissa were shot dead by a junkie. He was later arrested trying to pawn the victim's engraved wedding band. 3 months ago Hanover moved here and is apparently still in denial because he bought a huge 4 bedroom house on the edge of suburbs in an area with the best public schools."

"Okay Garcia I need 3 addresses, Captain Ellingham how many swat teams will be ready within in the next 20 minutes?" Alex commanded to the overweight captain who was in late 50's and sported a handlebar mustache.

"One, I can try two."

"Rossi, according to the profile where do we need to send the swat teams?"

"By now I would say Hanover is either at Marco's or his next of Kin's home."

Morgan and Emily walked in an Emily interrupted, "Rossi are you sure?"

"We have to trust the profile and his pattern" Rossi sternly replied. Alex didn't appreciate his tone with Emily but knew he couldn't show favoritism and simply ignored it.

"I got next of kin, mother Patricia Cruz forwarding her address now. I also have two addresses for Marco and am sending the residential one" Garcia spoke up.

"Good, remember this is personal so Hanover will go to their homes" Alex replied.

"Okay I sent Hanover's address to your tablets come back in one piece my beauties" Garcia said in a worried tone.

"Okay Ellingham send one team to this address and the other to this one" Alex said writing the addresses down on the whiteboard. "Morgan and Reid meet swat team A at Cruz's next of kin. Emily and Rossi with swat team B at Cruz's residential address. JJ with me at Hanover's, detective Rowlins can you join us?

"Absolutely." The thin bald-headed man replied.

Alex looked over to Emily and gave her a loving look whispering to her, "be careful" before she left with Rossi. Alex remarked to JJ, "We don't have a warrant for Hanover so unless the door is unlocked we can't go in. We are not losing this fuck on a technicality." She nodded back.

* * *

20 minutes later JJ and Alex arrived at a seemingly normal looking faint blue house with a white picked fence. Alex noticed that the garage door was closed, frustrated that he was unable to know whether the unsub was home or not. Before the group left the car Alex's rang phone and he put it on speakerphone, "Garcia?"

"Yes my darling it is I and you shall love me more than your dearest raven haired princess for this."

JJ laughed as Alex smirked, "I don't know about that but try me."

Garcia giggled, "I just got a confirmation from Captain Ellingham that you have a warrant because I discovered that Hanover is a registered owned of a .37 magnum just like the murder weapon."

"Oh I do love you now" Alex joked smiling over to JJ.

"I will inform the princess that you're mine now."

"Share Garcia" JJ shot back.

"With Emily?"

"No with me you oaf" JJ laughed back.

"How dare you, you shall pay for this goldilocks. Get the baddie my darlings, protect my fair wench my noble dark prince."

As Garcia hung up Alex laughed and Rowlins turned to JJ, "fair wench?"

"You'll get used to her" Alex cracked to the detective.


	10. It Said Sinner

**Short chapter but it is done purposefully.**

Morgan and Reid walked into the waiting patrol car with Patricia Cruz and called Emily, as Alex's line was busy. "Hey Emily we have Patricia Cruz, no sign of Hanover."

"Thanks Morgan we're 2 minutes out" Emily replied back as she looked to Rossi. Pulling up to Cruz's condo Emily was met by a stocky man with a shaved head who was head of the SWAT team.

"Agent Prentiss, Rossi, I'm Officer Tim Ledeaux and there is no movement at the home. What do you want to do?"

"Do we have a warrant?"

"Captain Ellingham said that only Agent Vanderbilt does."

"Okay well Agent Prentiss and I will approach the door and see what we want to do from there. Set your communications to channel 2 and we'll radio you in."

"Will do" Ledeaux said to Rossi as he walked off.

"Let's see what we hear" Emily said she walked up the stairs to Cruz's unit and noticed a smear of blood on the door. As a knee-jerk reaction she kicked down the door and announced "FBI put your hands up." Carefully walking in Emily noticed the body in the living room, not the bedroom, and above Cruz's body the words "Sinner." After clearing the room Emily radioed to the SWAT team, "House is clear no sign of Hanover." She then went to call Morgan to warn him about Hanover probably closing in as Rossi went outside and called Alex.

* * *

10 minutes earlier

"Mr. Hanover this is the FBI open up" Alex yelled as he banged on the door. Not 20 seconds later he kicked the door open with JJ behind him and Rowlins bringing up the rear. After clearing the second story Alex stomped down the stairs and looked out the bay window at the street. He then heard the second worst noise he would hear all day, a coffee maker signaling the coffee had finished brewing. "Something isn't right" he said worried to JJ as she walked down the stairs with Rowlins.

"What do you mean?"

"The next of kin isn't children or a wife. Check the kitchen, is the coffee maker automatic?" he asked calmly as he received a phone call.

"It's not automatic, its one of those single cup ones" JJ called from the kitchen.

"Vanderbilt. Rossi? Not there? Dead. Are you sure? Fuck! It said sinner!" he yelled as the glass window shattered in front of him as two gunshots rang out. Almost as if it was a reflex he returned fire and shot Hanover in the head, as he sunk down to the ground.

"Officer down! Vanderbilt was shot in the chest" Rowlins yelled as JJ ran out with her gun raised from the kitchen.

"Don't worry we're wearing vests" she said to Rowlins as she walked over to Alex, "Alex you okay?"

"He had a rifle" he choked out as JJ began notching the blood. "V-vest didn't work."

"Fuck! Rowlins call an ambulance!" JJ yelled as she ripped off Alex's vest and noticed the blood streaming from his body.

**Don't hate me, I will post shortly I promise. I just felt this should be it's own chapter. **


	11. Shooting at the Hanover's

Garcia was working on an update email to Strauss when she heard a ruckus outside of the conference room.

"What's going on?" She asked to an uniformed officer hoping another body wasn't found.

"Another body found and officer down at Hanover house" he replied as he ran by.

"Oh my god" she shrieked and she ran back to the conference room to call Morgan.

"Morgan!"

"Yeah baby girl?"

"Who was shot at the Hanover house?"

"What? What are you talking about?" Morgan was getting exasperated because of his lack of knowledge about the situation.

"There was a SHOOTING at Hanover house where JJ and Alex are!" She screamed as she choked on a sob.

"FUCK! I didn't know, find the 911 call!" Morgan said as he started driving even faster to the station.

Garcia meanwhile was running over to her desk to hack into the 911 center database. Her hysterical shouting of "oh god" fell silent when she found the call.

"Baby girl what did you find? BABY GIRL?!" Morgan yelled through the receiver.

Garcia was shaken from her daze, "Rowlins put in the call. Gunshot wound went through the vest. He didn't say male or female, it was either JJ or Alex. The ambulance was 7 minutes out."

"Fuck! I'll call Alex you call JJ. We're heading to the station to pick you up to get to the hospital" Morgan could hear her crying. "Penelope they're going to be okay. Make sure an uniformed officer is ready to take in Cruz."

"Okay" she sniffled as she hung up the phone and broke down crying. She repeatedly tried calling JJ's number as it continued to go to voicemail.

* * *

"God Alex you have to stay with me okay. Okay? Promise me you'll be okay" JJ said as she tried to prevent herself from crying.

"Okay" he said as he started coughing violently. His breathing was labored and JJ was furious. She didn't even know who to be angry at other than Hanover, but she knew she couldn't have her best friend's boyfriend die in front of her. Even more confusing was that she found herself furious at Rowlins. "Rowlins where the fuck is the ambulance?!"

"They said they're 7 minutes out."

"Shit! Okay Alex they're coming, okay? They're coming for you honey" JJ reassured in her best mothering voice.

"JJ I-I c-can't breathe" he replied as she continued pushing on his chest and collarbone.

"Rowlins! GET THE FUCK OVER HERE AND HELP ME! WHAT DID THE OPERATOR SAY TO DO?!" JJ was getting desperate.

Rowlins ran over as he took the place of one of JJ's hands on Alex's chest as she focused on pressing down on his collar-bone wound. "They said to keep him awake."

Alex looked up at JJ, "how bad?"

"It's fine Alex" she smiled to him but he noticed the look of horror on her face. At first the wounds JJ was pushing down on were extremely painful but Alex started to worry once the pain started to subside. It was a bad sign.

"JJ please" he was barely able to say.

JJ couldn't stop the tears anymore and started crying, "It's bad Alex. But you have to make it for Emily okay, can you do that?" Alex gave the smallest of nods as more blood spilled from the wound she was trying to put pressure on. "Okay you have to stay with me, okay? Talk to me about Emily. Talk to me about why you love her." Rowlins sighed as he wondered where the ambulance was, Alex didn't have much more time.

"S-she's strong" he said as he tried smiling. "Did I t-tell her?"

JJ didn't know what he was talking about. "Tell her what sweetie?"

"Love," Alex struggled out over another coughing fit.

JJ's heart broke when she realized what Alex was asking, "Yes Alex, she knows how much you love her. She knows and you're going to tell her when you get out of here and you're going to marry her and she will always know because you'll tell her everyday," JJ rambled.

"JJ, t-tired," Alex said as he shivered.

JJ was not letting him give up as she became very firm with him, "STOP! You're going to be fine and laugh about this day because you didn't realize that all BAU team members have nine lives. You're going to be fine! You can't do this to Emily!" She yelled at him.

Alex was losing consciousness, "I'm sorry" he choked out as tears started falling from his face and blood started coming out of his mouth causing him to start choking.

"I know, I know sweetie" JJ said as more tears fell. "I know but you have to stay with me. You can't give up okay?" Alex tried to focus on JJ's eyes before everything went black. "NO! No, wake up!" She said as she pushed down harder on his clavicle. "Alex!" she yelled while crying, not noticing the paramedics moving her out-of-the-way to get closer to her friend's body.

JJ was in a daze as she looked down to her hands and saw her body covered in Alex's blood. "He's not breathing" she heard one paramedic say. "I have a pulse" another spoke up. "We're losing him" the last one said as they loaded him onto a stretcher, running him down to the ambulance. JJ returned to her senses after Rowlins started shaking her.

"Agent Jareau let's go" he yelled as he ran towards the SVU.

Unaware of how she was even moving she jumped into the passenger's seat as Rowlins followed the ambulance, using the siren. She heard a ringing and answered the phone vacantly, "Jareau."

"JJ this is Reid who was shot? JJ?!" He said getting agitated.

JJ shook herself awake and refocused, "Alex, it didn't look good. His blood, it was everywhere."

"Where was he hit? JJ!"

"Chest and his clavicle where the other victims where shot by Hanover."

"Did it look like his carotid was hit?" Reid asked panicked as Morgan looked over to him in the car.

"I don't remember, I think the paramedic might have said it was nicked."

"Oh god."

"Reid how long does he have?" She asked firmly.

"A couple minutes at best" he said softly.

"Does Emily know yet?"

"No" he replied barely above a whisper.

"Someone needs to call Rossi or her."

Morgan nodded to Reid. "You do it" Reid instructed.

JJ took a deep breath and simply replied, "Okay." JJ looked at the phone and tried to compose herself as she dialed Emily's number.

"Prentiss."

JJ could tell by the way Emily answered the phone that she didn't know anything was out of the ordinary. "Em."

Emily recognized the fear in her friend's voice, "Jayje what's going on?" Emily asked with a sense of sternness as she looked over to Rossi.

JJ took another deep breath as she pinched the bridge of her nose, "Alex was shot at Hanover's."

"W-what?"

JJ could hear the shock in her friend's voice, "The unsub was home. Alex shot and killed him but he shot Alex in the chest."

"JJ is he…" she couldn't even finish that question.

"They're doing the best they can" JJ replied honestly. "They're taking him to Barnes-Jewish."

"Okay" Emily said as she hung up phone and in a haze walked up to Rossi. "Alex has been shot."

Rossi just nodded and guided her over to the car, driving them to the hospital that Emily had muttered the name of earlier. He knew that talking to her and saying that everything was going to be okay wouldn't do any good. To be honest, he wasn't sure if anything was going to be okay. So he just gave her what she needed. He let her temporarily silently retreat inside of herself.

* * *

Emily entered into the hospital and was met by the strong arms of Morgan as he guided her to the waiting area. She didn't say anything but she noticed JJ's blood stained clothes. She leaned over resting her elbows on her knees and covered her face with her hands as she felt a tear drop. Before she knew it they started falling one after the other as JJ started rubbing her back while Morgan held her hand. A few minutes passed before the team was met by a redheaded ER doctor. She was in her late fifties and was a little overweight but had a sympathetic look in her green eyes.

"Agent Vanderbilt?"

"That's us" Rossi spoke up.

"Agent Vanderbilt came in with two gun shot wounds. One was a through and through that entered near the clavicle and exited nicking the carotid artery. The other entered into his cheat and fortunately did not hit any major organs but did beak a rib, causing it to pierce the lung. This bullet did not exit his body but was found near the spleen where it did do some damage. As of now there's been a lot of blood loss and he did code in the ambulance, but the surgeons have just rushed him into emergency surgery and will do everything they can. They are staying cautiously optimistic but you need to prepare yourself for the worst. We'll have someone give you updates throughout the surgery and I'm doctor Quint. If you have any questions have a nurse page me" she summarized as she walked off.

"I'll get us some coffee and call Hotch" Rossi said as he meandered off himself.

Reid had desperately wanted to confer with Dr. Quint about statistics and probabilities of Alex's recovery but after looking into Emily's lost deep brown eyes he just couldn't. "Someone should call his father" JJ spoke up.

Everyone looked to Emily who just shook her head and replied, "I can't."

The team spent the rest of the day and night waiting for news about Alex. JJ changed into some surgical scrubs and Garcia and Morgan tried to watch over Emily. Rossi helped console the brunette by keeping Reid's spewing of facts to a minimum.

After about two and a half hours JJ sat next to Emily after Morgan got up to go to the bathroom. He had guarded over his partner all day. "I knew it was possible, it's the risk we take" Emily spoke softly.

"It doesn't make it any easier" JJ said putting her hand over Emily's. "He wanted me to make sure that you knew how much he loved you."

"I know" Emily nodded sadly, because she did know how much Alex loved her. "We've only been dating for a few months" she said as she picked at her nails.

JJ knew what she was getting at, "but when you know you know."

"Either way it was worth it" Emily remarked with a slight smile on her face. Garcia stroked her hair as Emily went back to her thoughts. All she could think about was that first time at the bar and how they just talked together for almost two hours over the loud music. About how shocked she was to see him that first morning in the conference room, but how she never told anyone how happy she truly was to see him again. The fractions of the moments in their life together flashed through her mind until she noticed Dr. Quint and another doctor walking towards her. She gazed over to the clock and noticed it had been three hours since she last talked to JJ.

Noticing the dread in the agents' faces the brown-haired male surgeon in his late 40's opted to skip introductions and get directly to the point, "As Dr. Quint informed you Agent Vanderbilt came in this afternoon with life threatening injures. However, we were able to get the bleeding under control, repair his lung, close his neck wound, and repair his spleen. All things considered it was a very successful surgery. We are optimistic that he will be able to make a full recovery, granted he doesn't push it too much too fast. He should not return to the field for at least 6-8 weeks. I would recommend 8 due to the nature of your work. He is currently sedated and should wake in a few hours" he uttered with military-like precision.

"Can I see him?" Emily asked as her body was flooded with relief.

"I'm sorry Agent but visiting hours ended 2 hours ago" the male surgeon said looking to his watch. "We normally only make an exception for family in these instances."

"He's my boyfriend" Emily replied quickly.

The surgeon looked over to Dr. Quint who just nodded. "Okay we'll let you see him, follow me to the critical care post op unit" he indicated as he started walking through the hospital corridors. Emily first saw Alex through a glass panel and couldn't help but smile. Even though he looked incredibly pale he looked so peaceful. Emily entered into the room and sat down on the chair next to the bed, running her hands through his hair commenting, "even out of surgery you have perfect hair." Emily continued to sit with him, holding his hand until she finally dozed off.

* * *

Emily awoke to a scratchy voice greeting her, "Hey sassafras."

"Alex?" She questioned with a big smile as she looked up.

Alex focused on her worried chocolate eyes as he smiled back, "Hey you."

"God you worried me, don't do that" she said as she smacked him lightly on the forearm.

"Abusing hospital patients now Prentiss?" He cracked.

"God I missed you" she said as her eyes started to moisten with tears. Alex winced after trying to move to stroke her cheek. "Baby be careful" she gently ordered as she took his hands in hers.

"You have beautiful hands."

"What?"

"Your hands."

"You wake up from near death and you comment on my hands."

"I just never thought I'd hold them again."

Emily smiled, "You're such a charmer. Are you in pain?"

Alex sighed, "A little."

"I'll buzz the nurse."

Alex shook his head before Emily had the opportunity to reach over him. "Can we have a little while with just us?" He pleaded softly.

"Okay five minutes, but then I'm getting a nurse."

Alex tried to take a deep breath but it hurt too much. He winced again and hoped Emily didn't worry, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I loved you before I left the station."

Emily waved him off, "Alex don't worry about it."

"I just never want you to doubt it, even when I'm being an asshole. I always want you to know."

"I always will" she smiled.

"So who long am I out of work? By the way are we sure it wasn't Strauss who shot me?"

Emily chuckled, "Well she says she has an alibi but I'm looking into it. No work for 8 weeks." Emily knew this wouldn't go over well.

"What am I going to do for 8 weeks?"

"I'm sure you'll figure out something."

"Well I guess I could start getting comfortable in my new life role as a kept man" Alex quipped.

"Is that your version of proposing to me?" Emily teased back.

"Oh but of course. Really, is there a better place to do it considering how much you love hospitals?" he asked sarcastically.

"Shut up" she teased him again, happy that she had her boyfriend back to play around with. Things with Alex always felt so natural, it was something she had never experienced before and didn't ever want to lose.

"So, I think JJ slapped me" Alex said with a smirk interrupting her thoughts.

"She was probably getting back at you for beating her in target practice" Emily laughed.

Alex tried to laugh but grimaced at the pain as Emily buzzed the nurse. "I'm glad you're here" he remarked to her with a twinkle in his shining blue eyes.

"Well get used to it Vandy" she said with a smile as she ran her hands through her hair.

**See I'm not a monster. **

**Do we like Alex enough a for sequel? **


	12. Terrible Timing

"Hey" JJ greeted quietly as she walked into the room.

"Hi Jayje where is everyone else?" Emily inquired as she refocused from watching Alex sleeping to looking at JJ.

"I sent Pen out to get you some coffee and everyone else is finishing up the case at the precinct. How is he?"

Emily sighed, "He's in a lot of pain, he woke for a little while though so that was nice" she said as she rubbed her eyes.

"Poor Alex. Em you should go get some rest" JJ suggested with an easy smile.

"I know I just don't want him to wake up alone."

"You are so cute" JJ teased, "he won't be alone, I'll be here."

"I don't know" Emily said as she yawned again.

JJ held out her hand to help Emily out of the chair, "Come on you can come back in a couple of hours, I'll make Garcia drive you.

"Oh god, they might just send me back to the hospital for other reasons" Emily joked.

JJ offered, "She's not that bad but if you want I can drive…"

Emily promptly cut her off raising her hand, "No, I can't risk Garcia waking him up with her antics. She'd probably use Alex being drugged as an opportunity to pose him for her new scrapbook" Emily laughed.

"Alex being cute" JJ said as she imitated their friend's tone.

Suddenly Emily got serious, "JJ thank you for" she motioned her head towards her sleeping boyfriend.

JJ waved her off, "Emily I was just returning the favor. We all love Alex and don't want to lose him. No one would think twice about helping our new team member."

Garcia walked into Alex's room quietly with a coffee and a small bag, "hello dolls, how's our patient?" she asked quietly, well quietly for Garcia.

"He's good considering" Emily smiled to her friend who was taking a box out of her bag.

"I got scrabble. I don't know if Alex likes the game but it's something for him to do when he wakes up."

"Thanks Garcia that's really thoughtful of you."

"He likes it?" Garcia questioned hopefully.

"Well not really, but it's the thought that counts" Emily chuckled remembering how much Alex hated playing scrabble with her.

"Hey Pen do you mind driving Emily back to the hotel so she can rest?" JJ discretely added as Emily was kissing Alex's forehead, "and watching her to make she actually sleeps."

Garcia just nodded as she gave the coffee she was holding to JJ and said to Emily, "Come on gumdrop, sweet dreams sleeping broody" she joked to Alex as they left the room.

* * *

Alex started stirring about an hour later and was surprised to wake up to JJ, who was reading a magazine, alone in his room. He was grateful that it looked like Emily had finally went to get some sleep. "Hi Jay" he said in a kind but tired voice.

"Hey sweetie how are you feeling?" She asked as she put down her magazine.

"I'm really tired" he replied honestly.

"Well your body's been through a lot. Are you in a lot of pain?"

"No" he replied a little too fast.

JJ said sternly in her mothering voice, "Alex."

Alex looked down, "I hate the way that stuff makes me feel. It makes me hallucinate and really nauseous," he confessed.

"I'm sorry" she said with empathetic eyes.

"Thanks for everything by the way."

"Alex don't ever think you have to thank me for that. I'm just grateful that you made it. If you hadn't…" she drifted off.

Alex squeezed her hand and smiled, "How's Henry?"

"He's good, he wants a baby to play with" she chuckled as she remembered Henry's request at dinner last week.

Alex laughed the most his body would allow, "Does he realize that they take some time getting here and can't just picked off a bush?"

"Well, no, Alexander we have not had 'the talk' yet if that is what you're asking. He's five" JJ stated firmly.

"He must have asked questions though" Alex uttered with a smirk.

"Fine, we told him that when mommies and daddies love each other they make a wish and babies come" she said as she started laughing.

"Is that something you want though?"

JJ was surprised by how easy it was to talk to Alex. If she was honest it was easy for the same reasons it was easy to talk to Emily, she knew he would never repeat what she said to anyone else. "I haven't talked to anyone about this yet" she mumbled.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have intruded, but if you ever just want someone to listen we can Fight Club-style it. I may give terrible advice but I can listen" he said with a smile.

"Fight Club-style?"

"Yeah, like outside of us the conversation doesn't exist."

JJ laughed at his analogy, "The truth is Will and I talked about it." JJ got real quiet, "I was pregnant but it didn't work out."

Alex softly said, "I'm sorry."

JJ continued, "But we decided that it would too hard raising two kids with work and everything. I don't think Will is up for it," JJ looked into Alex's true blue eyes and felt comfortable enough to ask the next question, "Did you like being an only child?"

"Uh, I didn't know otherwise. It was lonely but I think it was because my parents were never really present. Even when they were there they weren't really there, you know? Plus my mom died when I was really young. And my father, I guess he wasn't really loving with me. He wasn't really around and when he was he would just remind me of all the different ways I was disappointing him. But you and Will aren't like that" he stated firmly. "I think he'd do just fine as an only child, probably prefer it if he realized he would have to share your attention."

JJ chuckled, "Yeah well maybe you and Em should just have a baby and that would solve everything."

Alex tilted his head at JJ, "I heard about you talking about plundering the uterus…"

JJ cut him off as she raised her hands in the air, "That was Garcia!"

"And yet it is you here asking me such questions, and by the way Emily told me to tell her when you brought this up again so she could kill you" he joked.

"Hey, I saved you life!"

"Fine I won't tell Em and by doing so I'm saving your life. Now we're even" Alex quipped as he tried to cross his arms. However, he stopped as he felt pain shoot through his body. "Fuck" he mumbled as JJ noticed his discomfort after she finished laughing.

"Alex are you okay?"

"Yeah, for a second I forgot that some shithead used my body as target practice" he replied with a smile trying to put her at ease. "So when do I get to go home?"

"Oh my god don't tell me you hate hospitals and much as Emily does" JJ chuckled.

"No I don't think anyone hates hospitals as much as Emily does, but I do hate sleeping here. It smells like death and…" he cut himself before he finished.

"And what Alex?"

Alex huffed, "if you tell anyone I will tell the staff you tried to unplug me."

JJ just laughed at the empty threat, "okay so why do you want to go home?"

Alex blushed as he looked down at his hands, "I miss sleeping with Emily."

"Aww you're so cute and you're blushing! Who knew former elite CIA black ops agent and our very own resident BAU bad-boy was such a softy."

Alex snapped back, "Number one I am not a softy and number two, resident BAU bad-boy?"

"Yeah that's one of Garcia's nicknames for you."

"How many nicknames does she have for me?" Alex said looking confused.

"Let's see, the dark prince, BAU bad-boy, broody blue blood, sleeping broody, the bold and the broodiful, blue blooded Adonis, white chocolate, BAU's super spy couple, chickpea, pixie-sticks, and her sexy dumping" JJ counted off the names on her fingers. "And she probably has more that I forgot."

Alex started scratching his scruffy jaw, "She's very creative."

"Yeah that's a nice way of putting it" she laughed. "Back to your original question, I think they said after lunch they were going to move you to a private room and then you could fly home probably tomorrow evening. Meaning you should be cuddling with Emily in no time."

"I really hate you" he complained as JJ started laughing at his embarrassment.

* * *

After lunch Alex was moved to a private room out of the critical care unit as the rest of the team came to visit him. A doctor came in and told him he would be released tomorrow in the early afternoon but he would have to stay with someone while he recuperated. Garcia's hand shot up to volunteer and after looking at the horror on Alex's face Emily gently told her that was not necessary. The next day Alex was ecstatic about returning back to DC.

"When can I take off this stupid sling" he whined crankily as he fiddled with the sling on his left arm that was supporting his clavicle.

"3-4 weeks, stop playing with it" Emily commanded with a stern look.

"How am I going to get dressed?"

Emily shrugged, "I'll help you get dressed."

Alex smirked, "I actually prefer it when you help undress me."

"Stop being a perv" Emily joked as she went to his go-bag and picked out some clothes for the plane ride. Earlier in the day Garcia had gone out to buy him a pair of heather gray sweatpants and Emily took out Alex's white Yale t-shirt out of his bag. Due to the pain, putting on the t-shirt was next to impossible so Emily took out a white dress shirt instead.

"I look so stupid" he remarked when he looked down at himself.

"No you don't. You just look like a really depressed banker that started getting dressed but just gave up on his life" she giggled.

"You're the worst! Here I am trying to make myself look pretty for you and you insult me" Alex quipped.

"Oh it's all for me huh?" She asked as she leaned over and kissed him. Alex ran his tongue across her lips and she gladly opened her mouth as the kiss intensified. With his good arm he pulled her closer as straddled him. He moved to suck on her pulse point causing her to moan as he groped her over her shirt as she moaned again, even louder. "Fuck Alex" she muttered as he tried to open the buttons on her shirt. She moved to help him get the offending item of clothing off while he started kissing on the soft flesh above the bra.

"Oh my god, do not tell me you are having sex on a hospital bed?!" Garcia loudly asked as a flushed Emily turned around breathing heavily as she noticed JJ, Garcia, Morgan, Rossi, and Reid staring at her and Alex.

"I'll come back" Rossi announced as he left chuckling.

Morgan, JJ, and Garcia were laughing hysterically as Emily noticed Reid trying to look away from her.

"Emily your" Reid said staring at the ceiling.

Looking down she noticed her shirt was partly undone, showing the top of her black lace bra. "Shit" she said as she turned around to fix it and noticed Alex snickering. "Alex! This is your fault!" She yelled

"How is this my fault? You were trying to seduce me while I was in the hospital trying to fight for my life."

"Yeah it didn't look one-sided from here Princess" Morgan remarked with a wink.

"Can Alex even have sex yet?" JJ asked with a smile on her face.

"Yeah you're going to kill him gumdrop" Garcia said joining in on the teasing. "What are we going to put in his obituary when that happens?"

"Just write that I died a happy man" Alex said with a smirk as the room erupted with laughter.

Emily huffed, "You all have issues. And you…" she said turning around pointing to Alex, "I'll deal with you later" she scolded sternly with a wink. "I'm going to get some coffee, come on Reid."

"You would think she had enough of an afternoon pick me up" Garcia said winking at Alex.

"You all have terrible timing" Alex groaned as the group once again started laughing at the couple's misfortune.

**We're wrapping up but I have a plan for how I'm going to end it.**

**I also have a few ideas for a sequel that I'm sorting out. **


	13. Drugged on a Plane

**This is partly inspired by true events in my own life involving pain medication**.

By the time Alex was finally ready to be released from the hospital Reid and Rossi were already at the airstrip, while Garcia and JJ were headed to meet them after packing up Emily and Alex's rooms at the hotel. After the final discharge paperwork was signed Emily went with Morgan to find Alex a wheelchair, much to Alex's dismay. While they were gone a nurse came in to finish going over Alex's discharge plan with him. He would have his stitches removed in 2 weeks and would be able to return to desk duty in 5 weeks. However, it was recommended that he not travel with the team for 8 weeks, which once again flustered the restless man. Before he left the hospital the nurse made sure to give Alex enough pain medication to last him throughout the trip. However, she did not thoroughly explain that it was to be taken in two separate doses. She meant for Alex to take two pills at the hospital and one halfway through the flight. Alex, who wasn't paying attention to directions as usual, just took all three when she left the room. A few minutes later Emily and Morgan returned with a wheelchair unaware of what they had missed.

"Okay preppy ready to go?" Emily asked her boyfriend with a smile.

"Yes please, Derek my ready my noble steed to take me away from this wretched place" Alex pointed to the wheelchair as Morgan and Emily looked at each other perplexed.

"Alex are you okay?" Emily was concerned by her boyfriend's strange behavior. Yes, Alex was charming and clever but he was never so theatrical. That wasn't his style. He wasn't Garcia.

"Yes my pale Pocahontas I am wonderful" he said with a goofy smile.

"Why is he acting like Garcia?" Morgan quietly whispered to Emily who just shrugged. "Okay Alex let's get you in this wheelchair" Morgan said as he helped a wobbly Alex to the chair.

Emily just shook her head his antics and followed the males out of the hospital into a waiting SUV. Emily watched as Alex rested his head on the car window and seemed to doze off and on. After getting him on the plane Emily and Alex sat across from JJ and Reid while Rossi sat off by himself reading a book. Morgan and Garcia sat nearby the foursome.

"Emily have you ever seen Morgan with hair?" Alex asked in the loudest whisper ever.

"Uh, I don't think so" she answered back as JJ and Reid looked at her confused.

"Morgan are you bald bald or just bald?" Alex called out to Morgan, prompting Rossi to look up from his book. _When where these so-called profilers going to realize the kid was high_ Rossi wondered.

"Umm what do you mean?" Morgan answered. Alex was definitely acting weird as typically he never asked personal questions.

Alex, evidently not realizing the value of volume control, yelled again, "Do you have hair that can grow?"

"Yes" Morgan snapped back.

"I don't think Emily would love me without hair. Emily would you? Don't lie to me."

_This was getting even weirder_, Emily thought. "I guess so Alex, but I doubt you're going bald."

"Yes, Alex looking at your hairline now I would say it is very unlikely you will go bald. Androgenic alopecia, commonly referred to as male patterned baldness affects 70% of men and 40% of women, but I would say that considering that you hairline has yet to recede and you are already 35 it is highly probable that you will not lose enough volume to socially qualify as bald. In fact, according to the Hamilton-Norwood scale, which was first introduced in the 1970s, you don't show any signs of hair loss." Reid answered proudly.

"Thank you Reid" Emily said sarcastically as she looked to JJ and back to Alex. "Honey did you take any pain medication before we left the hospital?"

Alex nodded, "This nice lady gave me some because someone shot me" he said with a big smile.

"How much did you take?" Emily asked calmly.

"I don't know, some amount" he replied as JJ giggled and Garcia moved in closer.

"This is going to be so great" Garcia squawked in excitement.

"Garcia" Emily warned.

"Hey JJ you should have married my dad" Alex spoke up as JJ got a look of horror on her face.

Morgan started chuckling as Garcia goaded Alex, "Why Alex?"

Alex shrugged, "He likes blondes and I guess she's sort of pretty."

"Thank you Alex" JJ replied politely.

"JJ be honest," Emily tensed up wondering what Alex was going to say next, "have you ever seen Emily naked?"

JJ choked as Morgan and Garcia started laughing. Poor Reid looked so uncomfortable he got up to sit with Rossi instead.

"Has Reid ever seen a woman naked?" Alex asked loudly to Reid's dismay as Garcia jumped into Reid's empty seat.

"Alex!" Emily scolded.

"What? Reid's seen me naked."

"WHAT?!" Everyone but Reid yelled.

"Yeah he walked in on me in the shower in the locker room once. He told me he didn't look." He looked around the shocked team. "What?" Alex asked confused.

Emily just couldn't be mad at him in this state, he was so hopeless. "I'm going to make you some coffee" she said as she got up.

Alex checked her out as she walked away and he turned back to JJ, "Have you seen my girlfriend naked Janifer?"

"Janifer" Morgan and Garcia repeated laughing.

"Yes" JJ answered annoyed.

Alex just sighed at the answer, "isn't it so great."

"When?!" Morgan intensely asked.

"It was an accident like Reid" JJ defended herself.

"YOU SAW REID NAKED?!" Garcia shouted as she risked case of whiplash by jerking her head around so fast to catch glimpse of Reid blushing. Garcia gasped, "YOU SLEPT WITH REID."

"NO I DID NOT, I WOULD NEVER DO SUCH A THING!" JJ screamed.

"Hey!" Reid yelled back.

"Sorry Reid" JJ said as she made a face at Alex. "Fucking Alex" she muttered.

Morgan and Garcia started giggling again as Garcia got an idea. "Alex what is Emily like in private?"

Alex looked confused again, "Like in sex time?"

JJ knew she should have tried to stop this for Emily's sake, but she really wanted to hear.

"Yes" Morgan answered with a grin.

Alex face lit up with a smile, "She is very great at doing things, like a hot gumby. She's bossy too."

JJ started laughing too hard at the description, which caught Emily's attention as Garcia tried to whisper her next question, "Bossy huh? How so?"

"Umm, she just tells me all the time what to do and pulls my hair. She bit me really hard last time so I had to call out pickles" he said as he looked over in Emily's direction with a goofy smile.

Morgan was almost on the floor laughing and JJ couldn't catch her breath after learning that Emily and Alex's safe word was pickles and that Alex had to use it because Emily bit him so hard.

Garcia tried to breathe so she could ask her next question, "Where did she bite you?"

"On my collarbone, I don't know what she's going to do now when she tries to be quiet" he questioned as he looked down longingly at his newest injury.

"Why do you have to be quiet?" JJ asked fighting through a fit of giggles. Emily be damned this was amazing.

Emily walked back with a cup of coffee as she heard Alex's answer, "the neighbors complained."

"ALEX!" She screamed.

"Like that" he smiled as he pointed to her.

"OH MY GOD what are you telling them?!"

"Princess was so loud neighbors complained" Morgan sputtered out as he was still kneeled over laughing. Rossi watched the interaction and smiled, good thing Hotch wasn't there. Poor kid just got shot and now Emily was going to finish the job.

"I didn't tell them about the time in JJ's office or the car though" Alex said trying to make Emily feel better. It didn't work.

"MY OFFICE?!" JJ screamed.

"THE CAR?!" Garcia asked, "WHEN?!"

"Which…" Emily put his hand over Alex's mouth, but the damage was already done.

"Emily when did you have sex on my desk?" JJ asked half mad half amused.

"Uhhh…" Emily hated Alex right now. "JJ we never had sex on your desk I promise."

"My chair?" JJ asked again. Morgan thought this was the best plane ride ever.

"No, I swear."

"Door" Alex mumbled against the hand covering his mouth.

"Garcia are the cameras still broken in my office?" JJ asked with an evil grin.

Emily's mouth dropped. The cameras? Garcia looked at Emily and shook her head 'no.'

"WHAT?" Emily shouted as Morgan went into another fit of laughter. "Did you…" Emily couldn't even finish the question.

"Just the beginning, Emster I swear I didn't see the grand finale" Garcia responded trying to placate the brunette.

Now Rossi was in a fit of laughter himself as Emily turned beet red. She looked over to Alex to see that he had fallen asleep. _Sure now you fall asleep you bastard. _JJ was originally going to punish Emily for screwing Alex in her office, but Emily had been punished enough.

Emily huffed, "Garcia how could you do that?"

"Well you were right there. At least I didn't have sound. And I'm not the one who had a quickie in JJ's office or multiple times in various cars."

"It wasn't various cars" Emily snapped back.

Morgan stopped laughing to ask, "Which cars?"

"I'm not doing this" Emily growled.

"No you don't, you fucked in my office so you answer this" JJ said firmly. She wanted to know dammit.

"Umm mine" Emily looked down, "Alex's."

"And?" JJ asked with an eyebrow up.

Emily let out a deep breathe, "and the SVU in Albany."

"The Bureau SVU?"

"Is that why the backseat was so hot?" JJ asked in horror.

"No, we did it on the front passengers seat" Emily answered.

"How did you manage that?" Garcia asked as Reid yelled across the plane, "Hey that's where I was sitting!"

"Not then you weren't" Morgan laughed as he moved to high-five Emily. Emily gave in and high-fived the man.

"The ambassador's daughter" JJ said shaking her head.

"Gumdrop wake Alex up so I can find out what he does with is tongue," Garcia commanded.

"NO!" The entire cabin shouted as Alex started to stir before going back to sleep.

Emily leaned over to JJ and whispered, "How is it that I still love him after this?"

JJ smiled at her friend and prayed that Alex would survive Emily's wrath when he woke up. The poor guy looked so peaceful and oblivious.

* * *

Alex woke up a few minutes before the two-hour plane ride was set to end. He looked at Emily, who was reading a magazine and kissed her on the temple softly whispering, "You're so perfect and I love you so much." However, when she turned to him he wasn't met with the smile he was expecting but rather the evil eye. He jumped back a little at the sight, "Sassafras?"

"Don't you dare 'sassafras' me Edward Alexander Vanderbilt."

"What did I do?" he asked dumbly as he looked to JJ who was giggling.

Emily said in a harsh low voice, "You told everyone about our sex life when you were all hopped up on painkillers."

"No I didn't" he shook his head as he hoped to god she was kidding.

"Pickles" JJ said as Alex looked to Emily in horror.

"Shit" he whispered quickly.

"Thanks for at least staying off my desk" JJ grinned.

Alex gulped as he tried to play dumb, "w-what?"

"You told her about the office and the car. Oh and just so you know Garcia watched" Emily growled as Garcia waved to a horrified Alex. "I told you we should have stopped!" She shouted at him louder than she should have.

"Hey you started it! You were all 'JJ's out to lunch. Against the door, I need you baby.' And you made me bleed. I had to throw away that shirt!" He lectured as the team leaned forward to listen.

"And the car was all you Alexander!"

"You knew I was nervous about having dinner at Rossi's house! You said I needed to relax!"

"Wait a second that's why you were late to dinner at my house?" Rossi questioned with a smug grin. "I knew your hair wasn't messed up because your blow dryer exploded."

"That wasn't the time I told them about you Nimrod!" Emily yelled back as she whacked Alex on his good arm.

"Oh" he said as he looked around the plane and willed it to crash. Emily got up and went to another row as Alex followed her. He whispered into her ear, "I'm so sorry I swear I didn't mean to say anything."

"I know you didn't but you still did" she replied back upset. "You know I don't like everyone knowing about our private life."

"I know and I really didn't mean it."

Emily sighed, she knew her friends. "They probably asked you when they realized how high you were."

"Let's kill them" he joked as he gazed into her brown eyes. "Can you forgive me?"

"Later, right now I hate you" she said with the smallest smile on her face.

"Okay you can hate me" he said with a smile as he kissed her cheek, "I'll still love you."

"Stop trying to charm you way out of this Vandy. It isn't going to work." Alex tilted his head towards her and gave a small smile that illuminated his eyes. Emily smiled back as she gently touched his chest. "At least Hotch wasn't here."

"Or Strauss" Alex smirked. "Can you imagine? She would have pushed me out of the plane and blamed it on pilot error."

* * *

Heading there straight from the airport Emily made her way into Alex's spacious apartment, helping him to pack up some clothes and personal items to bring to her house. "I feel like I'm never here anymore."

"Yeah" Emily said as she sat on his bed, worried that Alex was getting tired of her.

"It's such a waste you know?" He called out as he got a few things from his bathroom.

"Well, after you get better you'll get to come back" Emily remarked putting her walls up.

Alex noticed them right away as he walked towards her, putting his stuff on the bed. He gently stroked her cheek as he gently asked, "What's with the Prentiss face?"

"I always have Prentiss face, I'm a Prentiss" she argued back.

"No, you have Emily face" he chuckled, "when you're trying to hide you put on your Prentiss face. You look like your ready to inform the nation that we're headed to war. So what's wrong?"

She sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She knew Alex better than everyone else did, but in turn Alex knew her better than anyone else too. "For some reason I was surprised that you wanted to go home. It's stupid, really."

Alex looked up and off to the side as she noticed a smile spreading on his face. He looked back down to her and chuckled, "I have been spending the last 15 minutes hinting around here desperately trying to move myself permanently into your home, you dope" he said as he put his finger on the tip of her nose.

"Don't call me a dope" she laughed as she ran her hands through his hair.

"Ask me to move in."

"Hey Alex you want to move in with me?" She asked sarcastically.

He shrugged, "Eh, I'll think about it."

She laughed as she poked in on his good side, "You brat."

He pulled her close and put his hand on her waist. She moved her hands to gently rest on his chest as he murmured against her neck, "I would love to live with you…and Sergio."

"We are a package deal" she laughed against his shoulder.

Alex kissed the top of her head as she sighed happily. "So Garcia watched us" he murmured into her hair.

"That she did. She said she stopped watching but we all know she has no self-control. Do you feel okay?" Emily was worried that he looked to be in pain, but she knew he couldn't take anything for another hour.

"I guess, mainly I'm dreading having 5 weeks off work. What am I going to do everyday?" He asked sounding worried. Emily understood where he was coming from.

"I don't know just be at home waiting for me" she requested as she pulled away to finish packing.

"Okay" he smiled to her. "So that night at the bar, before, you know you left me the next morning feeling like a spited hooker."

Emily rolled her eyes. He sure liked playing that card, "Yes?"

"Did you ever think we'd be here?"

Emily scoffed, "No, you?"

"Yes" he said with a smirk, but when Emily looked into his eyes she somehow knew he was telling the truth.


	14. What's The Fun in That?

**How crazy does Alex get when he isn't working?**

Emily huffed loudly as she sat down at her desk in the BAU bullpen. She was beyond tired of paperwork. Earlier that morning Alex joked to her that he got shot purposefully to get out of it. He had an off sense of humor, like she did. They enjoyed joking about morbid things like their near death experiences, it put a lot of people off. Noticing she needed JJ to sign something she got back up and went into her friend's office.

"Hey Jayje can you…" She cut herself off as she noticed JJ was on the phone.

"Are you sure? So there's no way I can stay? No, no can you start it tomorrow so I can get that ready tonight? Thank you" she said curtly as she hung up the phone.

"What's wrong?" Emily asked concerned.

"I have fleas in my house."

"Eww."

"I know and the exterminator said that we have to be out for two days so Will and I have to pack up our stuff, follow these specific instructions to get the house ready, and somehow find time to find a hotel. Oh and Will is working today and our baby-sitter is sick so I have to find time to pick up Henry" JJ complained as her head dropped down to look at her desk covered in files.

Emily felt bad for her stressed friend, "Hey why don't you stay with us?"

"Em we couldn't do that, it's too much of an imposition."

"No, it's not, would you all mind sharing my guest room though?"

"We wouldn't mind but it's too much to ask, you just moved in with Alex a month ago and I know you want your privacy."

"JJ it's two days, I'm not asking you to move in with us" Emily laughed. "You've done so much for me this is nothing. And Alex can pick up Henry."

"What?"

"It's not like he has anything to do all day. And he's driving me crazy because he's bored all day. Yesterday he literally spent all day eating all the berries out of a box of Captain Crunch while watching I Didn't Know I was Pregnant."

JJ started laughing, "Wow."

"I know he needs an assignment or something so he'll be less cranky. He even tried making a scrapbook last week," Emily confessed with a lopsided smirk.

"No!" JJ exclaimed loudly.

Emily stared laughing when she remembered it, "He got the idea from Garcia and even went to a class in Alexandria to learn how. It was titled 'BAU Fun'" she choked out laughing.

JJ was laughing hysterically at the image of Alex in a class with middle-aged women trying to scrapbook, "wait how did he even get there? He still isn't cleared to drive."

"Do not bring up the not driving thing today, he is very bitter about it. Last time I talked to him about it he was working out a theory that involved his doctor being a terrorist-unsub."

"A terrorist-unsub?" JJ asked with a look of disbelief on her face.

"Yes that is purposefully restricting him from driving to continue his crime spree. He's being so crazy I'm thinking of giving him to Garcia."

"She'll love that. So how did Alex get to his scrapbook class? I can't believe I just asked that."

"He took a car service" Emily said as she rolled her eyes. "By the way do you think Hotch did that when he was suspended?"

"Go to scrapbook classes? I don't think so" JJ smiled

"Yeah he seems more like a color-me-mine kind of guy."

"Wait how do you know about color-me-mine?"

Emily rolled her eyes again, "last week's project. He actually sent his vase to the Ambassador."

"Oh my god what did she say?" JJ asked engagingly.

Emily started laughing, "she loved it!"

"Oh my god I love your boyfriend so much" JJ said as she finally was able to compose herself. "Okay I'll call him and ask. Thanks Em."

"No problem Jayje, just don't mention the scrapbook. Sergio destroyed one of the pages and Alex was really upset about it."

"What page was it?"

Emily chuckled, "'Rossi Driving Places.'" JJ couldn't help but start laughing again, "He was especially mad because he thought that the pictures coupled with the layout made Rossi look and I quote 'regal.'"

Something clicked in JJ's mind, "Oh my god Em you're dating Pen!"

Emily shuttered at the thought, "I know, he is spending WAY too much time with her. Here sign this" Emily instructed as she left the office.

JJ picked up the phone and called Alex, who answered on the first ring. He hadn't shaved in a week and was wearing a pair of blue sweatpants and his white Yale sweatshirt.

"Vanderbilt" he said putting down the bag of chips he was snacking on while watching QVC.

"Hey Alex it's JJ."

"Hey JJ what's up?"

"I need a really big favor from you."

He perked up at the promise of something to do, "What is it?"

"Can you please pick up Henry from daycare at 2 today. I can't get him."

"Uh okay" Alex liked Henry but what was he going to do with him now that Henry couldn't jump all over him?

"And just bring him to your house because we're staying with you for a couple of days."

"Oh JJ I'm so sorry."

JJ was confused, "About what?"

"You and Will split up right?"

"No silly we have fleas so we're all staying with you. I really have to get back to work but thanks so much I really appreciate it" she said as she hung up on a shocked Alex.

"What the fuck?" he muttered to Sergio as he looked down at the phone. He picked it back up to call Emily.

"Hey baby" she finally picked up.

"Hi darling, did you forget to mention that you invited a family to move in with us today?"

"Oh JJ told you. I was going to."

"You know they could have stayed at my place" Alex suggested as he petted Sergio.

"You like Will and JJ" Emily replied as she walked to get a cup of coffee.

"No, I like JJ, I tolerate Will but he's so dull. It's like talking to a brick when I'm with him. Plus how can I get Henry if that fucking doctor hasn't cleared me to drive? I swear that bastard is up to something. He's working an angle Em, he really could be a unsub!"

Emily smirked at her grouchy boyfriend, "Call the car service you used when you went to your class."

"Fine but you owe me for this."

"You can collect your payment in two days. Also be sure to shave before you get Henry so you don't look so homeless. I love you baby."

"God I am so whipped" he replied, hearing Emily snickering on the other end of the phone. "I love you too" he said as he concluded the call. He shaved and jumped into the shower. Going through his drawers he found a white Christmas sweater with two reindeers on it that he knew Henry would love. He put it on with a pair of red khakis, a white button up shirt and a black tie. He grabbed his keys as he walked towards the door yelling goodbye to Sergio as he headed to the waiting town car. He pulled up to the Virginia daycare and walked out to see Henry waiting for him.

"'Lex" he waved.

"Hey buddy."

Henry waved as a young brunette came out to meet Alex. "Agent Vanderbilt?" She asked in a slight southern accent.

"Yes" he smiled at her and took out his I.D.

"Thanks, I know it may be silly but…"

"No, I get it better than anyone" he cut her off as he waved her off.

She smiled at him, "I'm Maggie by the way." Maggie looked to Henry, "So Henry how do you know this lovely man?"

"He likes mommy" he shrugged.

Alex quickly spoke up knowing how that sounded, "We, we work together. She and my girlfriend are best friends" he clarified.

"Oh girlfriend, what a shame" Maggie flirted as she played with a section of Alex's hair.

"Nice to meet you" Alex uncomfortably replied as he took Henry's hand and walked towards the car. "So how was your day Henry?" he inquired of the young boy. As Henry babbled on about anything and everything he wondered if he had talked that much as a little boy. Knowing that JJ wouldn't be home until around 7 with Emily he figured he better go to the grocery store to find something to feed Henry for dinner.

"And I like you shirt" Henry finished.

"Thanks I wore it special for you. So Henry it's 2 what do you want to do for a couple of hours?" He asked as he googled _what to do with kids in Washington D.C. _

_"_Umm" Henry pondered.

"Do you want to go to the Washington Monument?" Alex asked as Henry nodded his head. After conferring with the driver Alex thought about how his own father never did anything like this with him. If he was honest with himself his mother didn't either. But it seemed like JJ and Will did this kind of stuff all the time. After taking the elevator up the top and spending about an hour there Alex and Henry headed back to their car and headed to a grocery store near Emily's house. It was around four when the duo got home and Alex let Henry watch some kids show he had never heard of before. It was 7:15 by the time Emily walked in the house to find Henry coloring on Alex's scrapbook paper on the living room floor. Alex was drinking a beer and watching the Redskins game.

"Hey honey" Emily greeted as he went over to give him a kiss. "You look very cute today."

"Oh I'm glad I don't look so homeless" he smirked

Emily rolled her eyes, "Whatever you know I was right. I'm going to take a shower, hi Henry."

"Hi aunt Em'ly" he replied not looking up from the floor.

About 15 minutes later JJ walked in with a handful of bags that Alex helped her with. "Thank you so much you're a life saver" she sighed as she walked over to greet Henry. After talking with him she sat next to Alex on the sofa and stole Alex's beer.

"Hey! You're the worst guest ever" he teased in a fake angry voice.

"Is that scrapbook paper Henry is coloring on?" JJ asked as she started to giggle.

"Emily told you" Alex sighed from embarrassment. "Did she also tell you that her wild beast tore up it up?!" He almost yelled. Emily was right, he was still upset about it.

"Yeah, I'm sorry sweetie. So you look cute today" she said lighting poking at the sweater.

"So I heard" he mumbled trying to watch the game. "I thought you loved the Redskins."

"I do but I can multitask. Did you feed Henry?"

Alex pretended to looked surprised and looked up at the ceiling, "Oh I knew I forgot something."

"Alex!" she yelled until she realized he was laughing at her. "Jerk" she playfully swatted at him. "Okay what did you feed him? Ice cream and Pizza?"

"No, I'll have you know I bought a roasted chicken from the store. I also bought mashed potatoes and green beans and he actually liked them so ha ha ye with little faith."

"This from the man who once suggested I leave Henry home alone to go bar hopping. I am impressed."

He just nodded as he absent-mindedly asked, "Will?"

"Working a long shift. Where's Emily?"

"Shower."

"How was Maggie?"

"Who?"

"24-year-old brunette at Henry's daycare, I told her you were picking up Henry."

"She was fine I guess, she hit on me. Henry suggested we were having an affair."

"WHAT?!" JJ yelled.

"I know it was weird" Alex said as he got up to get another beer at a commercial.

JJ realized that Alex wasn't in a talkative mood and got up off the sofa, "I'm going to give Henry a bath and put him to bed. Can you warm me up dinner and then we can continue talking?"

"Sure." As JJ left the room Emily sat down on the sofa next to Alex and took his new beer from him. "Hey! This is the second time that happened to me tonight."

Emily just shrugged with a smile. "I don't know how polygamists do it" he complained as he got up again.

"How was your day?" she asked as she walked over to Alex near the fridge.

"Fine, Henry is a cute kid but he's a talker like his godmother."

"I know" she laughed as she began eating the dinner he warmed up for her. Alex kissed her forehead as he walked back to the sofa.

"Hey where's my dinner?" JJ asked when she walked back.

"Kitchen, I warmed it but I didn't serve you."

"Did you serve Emily?"

"Yep."

"Rude" JJ teased as she walked towards Emily and mouthed 'cranky' to her as Emily nodded in agreement. "Why?" she asked quietly.

"You brought up the scrapbook didn't you?" JJ looked guilty and Emily continued, "I told you not to bring it up. He spent like 4 hours on that page." As JJ started laughing at the story again.

* * *

A month later Emily returned from a case in Columbus, Ohio. The victims were all attractive brunette women in their 30-40's and Reid suggested to use Emily to draw out the unsub. Alex had been frustrated that he couldn't join her, but he was glad it was his last case on desk duty. He and Emily had fought constantly throughout the case about how she agreed to use herself as bait for a unsub without consulting him. It was pouring outside when the team landed back in Virginia and she was surprised to see Alex waiting for her out in the rain without an umbrella in a khaki trench coat.

"Your boy is here" Morgan said as he patted her arm, leaving the plane. Although they did pretty well at keeping it out of work he knew that Alex and Emily had been fighting a lot.

As the rest of the team left the parking lot Emily walked up the Alex and rolled her eyes saying, "You're going to catch another cold."

"I don't care."

"I do, you're a baby when your sick."

He smiled at her insult, "You know this is all I ever wanted."

"What?"

"Waiting in the rain for you to come home to me."

"Are you sick?" she asked feeling his forehead.

"Emily Prentiss do you remember what I said to you the night we met?"

"I was drunk" she grumbled.

"Try" he ordered in a stern tone.

_The pounding music began to subside as a slow song came on. Alex and Emily were sitting at a table together. Emily had been telling Alex the plots of her favorite Kurt __Vonnegut__ novels. "You're a great listener" she complemented. _

_"Thanks."_

_"I saw you watching me at the bar" Emily confessed._

_"Was I that obvious?" Alex inquired as he leaned forward to get closer to Emily._

_"Yes," she laughed. _

_"Than why didn't you come talk to me?" Alex questioned as he crossed his arms. _

_"I don't know. What if I wasn't your type?"_

_"You're gorgeous and you went to Yale, by default you're everyone's type" he argued as he took a sip of his beer._

_"I'm the not the kind of woman who most guys date."_

_Alex shook his head, "Why do you think that?"_

_Emily laughed as she began counting on her fingers, "I work all the time, I'm cold, and I'm a geek."_

_"Okay I am going to challenge that assessment Miss, well I don't know your last name because you refuse to tell me so I'll call you miss-terious." Emily started laughing, "Number one there's nothing wrong with being successful, number two you're not cold you're reserved, and three yes, yes you are a geek" he laughed. _

_"See not the woman men want to date" Emily shrugged._

_Alex nodded in agreement, "You're right, you're not the women men want to date. You're the woman men want to marry." Emily laughed again at Alex as she poked him in the chest. _

Alex smiled as Emily's face lit up with realization about what he meant. "What did I tell you?"

"I was the kind of woman men want to marry."

"Emily I love you so much. You're stubborn and infuriating but you make me a real person. You're forgiving and kind but you don't forgive me when I don't deserve it. You push me to be better because you know I can be and you are the woman I want to marry. It was always you. And I know I annoy you and make you so mad but at the end of the day you know how much I love you. All I want is to keep coming home to you." Alex got down on one knee, "So here I am risking my health in the rain, on bended knee, basically begging because we both know that I'm not above begging, to ask you if you would marry me. Emily Elizabeth Prentiss will you marry me?

"If I say yes can we get out of the rain?" She asked as she ran her hands through her wet hair.

"If you say yes I will do whatever you want" Alex said with an easy smile.

"Yes Edward Alexander Vanderbilt I will marry you" Emily said as Alex stood up.

"Full name I love it" he cracked. Emily wrapped her arms around his neck as she pulled him into a kiss. "This is much harder than the movies make it seem. I feel like I'm drowning" Alex joked as he laughed into Emily's wet hair.

"Shut up and kiss me again" Emily ordered.

"You're going to be the death of me Emily Prentiss" Alex laughed. "But at least it'll be a happy one" he whispered against crook of her neck. He opened up his jacket and took out a red Cartier ring box. Inside was a four carat Ashoka cut diamond set in a platinum setting with micropave diamonds lining the band. "This ring belonged to my mother, my dad gave it to her when I was born. Before she died she told me to promise her that I would only give it to a woman who truly deserved it. I know it's not exactly your style and if you hate it we can get you a new one and sacrifice this to the Potomac…"

Emily cut him off, "It's perfect. Thank you."

"I'd do anything for you" Alex said sincerely as he put the ring on her finger.

Emily smiled looking at her ring, "Would you really do anything for me?"

"Anything."

She got an evil glint in her eyes, "Spare my eardrums and you tell Garcia."

"Deal" he grinned as he pulled her into another kiss.

Emily smiled wickedly as they walked to their car soaking wet, "This was very romantic but maybe March would have been more practical than February" she said sarcastically.

"True" he conceded as he grabbed the door handle, "But what's the fun in that?" Alex grinned as his bright blue eyes locked with Emily's, opening the car door for her as she got in.

THE END…..FOR NOW

**I'm working on a sequel now that involves Alex's and Emily's parents and of course another case. There also might be a double date involved with Kevin and Garcia.**

**Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

**A sequel is now up entitled The Finest Trick if anyone is interested. **


	15. Sequel Preview

**Here's a quick preview for the sequel The Finest Trick, if anyone is interested. **

**Thanks again for all the reads/reviews.**

It was 8am on a Monday morning when Hotch began briefing the team on the newest case they had been assigned. Emily and Alex were sitting across from each other with Alex seated next to Rossi and JJ, looking over the fresh files in front of him. "We have five men found dead in the D.C. area" Hotch began as he presented the case. "Carter Mills aged 33, David Lessner aged 35, Gabriel Manning aged 32, Julian Donovan aged 34, and James Tyler aged 36 were all found dead with gun shot wounds to the chest and abdomen. The bodies were dumped at various D.C. and Virginia parks which made it difficult to tie the murders together. The men also had stab wounds near the genital area that were inflicted post-mortem. All the men were handsome alpha males in their early to mid thirties and were successful in their professional lives. Another connection is that they frequented the same D.C. bar, Existence. The lead investigators are handing the investigation over to us from here. However, Strauss believes that an undercover operation will service this investigation best. We need our inside man to attract the unsub and make sure that she approaches him. To be honest, right now we are at a dead end with no physical evidence and no leads."

"Are we sure about the unsub being a female?" Emily questioned.

"According to some preliminary profile work I started late last night I would say so. D.C. Police have also forwarded M.E. reports that indicate that the victims were bound and shocked with a taser."

"So she needed help restraining them, she probably seduced them" JJ surmised.

"And distracted them" Morgan added.

"Her pattern seems to be an abduction 3 days after she dumps a body. Since the latest body of James Tyler was found last night we need to get to work."

"So then I'm going in" Morgan said seriously as he looked through the case files.

"Actually I was thinking along the lines of Vanderbilt" Hotch answered absent-mindedly as JJ started giggling and Garcia looked shocked.

"I thought it was vital that the unsub was drawn to the undercover agent though?" Morgan said a little too defensively.

"Honestly I don't care, Morgan can do it" Alex spoke up. He did not want to get into an argument over something this idiotic.

"Age wise Vanderbilt is more in line with the unsub's type. That and the fact that he is actually very well versed in undercover work makes me inclined to center this investigation around him" Hotch answered firmly.

"Well in that case Reid should be considered too, he's the right age" Morgan countered.

Emily tried to suppress her laughter as she turned to JJ, "Reid?"

"What if we do a sexy-off?" Garcia suggested as Hotch looked at as if she had three heads. "You know tonight we go to the bar and whoever gets the most phone numbers goes undercover."

"It seems ridiculous but it would give us a chance to do recon in the bar and help it seem more natural that our undercover man would be there. Most of these victims frequented the bar before their death, it could help" Rossi suggested with a shrug.

"Fine" Hotch answered trying to appease Morgan. Why did Morgan care so much anyway? Sometimes it felt like his agents were juveniles.

"So Morgan, Reid, and I are going to be competing for phone numbers as an official FBI assignment?" Alex asked in confusion as he scratched his hair near his left temple, and that's when she saw it. _Fuck! Quit scratching your head your idiot! _Emily was screaming internally when she caught a glimpse of the silver wedding band. She knew that it was only a matter of time before her coworkers caught it too. Alex finally quit scratching his head and instead crossed his hands on the conference table. Emily couldn't take it any longer and kicked him to get his attention. Unfortunately she hit Rossi instead.

"What the fuck?" He muttered as he looked at Emily.

"Sorry leg cramp" she lied as Alex looked up to her and laughed. She quickly pointed at her left ring finger and he finally got the hint. He immediately moved his hand under the table, but the damage was already done. Garcia's face lit up at the realization as she nudged JJ. Hotch was still going on about the case when Alex sighed at his mistake. Emily was going to kill him and she was already cranky enough.

However, Hotch noticed Alex's sigh and quickly called him out on it, thinking it was about the case. "Do you have a problem with that Vanderbilt?" Hotch asked curtly. He was done with dealing with his agents and their "feelings."

"No sir just hoping to clarify" Alex answered with a smile as he looked over to a nervous Reid. Maybe this was going to be fun after all. "Hey Reid what's wrong?" He asked as the rest of the team started to file out of the room.

"I'm not very comfortable trying to pick up women at bars. I don't ever frequent them" he said shyly.

"I'll help you. I think we can work with this" Alex said as he motioned to Reid's hunched over body.

"Okay, thank you Alex. Should I come over to your house at 6 before we go?"

"Sure" Alex said as he tilted his head in confusion. Who went to a bar at 6? He shook his head as he walked back to his desk and sat next to Emily who was working on paperwork. He smiled at her and she gave him a dirty look. She didn't need her friends bothering her on top of everything else that she had to do that day.

"Come with me pretty lady" Garcia commanded as she pulled Emily out of her chair and pushed her towards JJ's office.

"Garcia?"

"No, you don't get to argue, you lost that chance when you got secretly married without consulting us!" Garcia scolded in a whisper.

**If you're interested in reading on, the completed sequel is now up. **


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